The Special Investigation team, which was formed by Punjab and Haryana Court to look in to the Rs 600 crore drug scandal in Punjab, has released a report of over 1,500 pages and even though Jagdish Bhola and Bittu Aulakh, who have been involved in drug trade to Australia, US and Europe, are still under investigation, the report has given the politicians a clean chit. On the flip side, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission has confirmed that Ice is the drug of choice across the nation which is maily sourced through the South Asian countries.
The report was prepared by SIT after a 17 month long investigation during which, dozens of phone records and personal computers of top twenty smugglers were analyzed. Following the investigation, thirteen individuals were questioned.
In the most detailed snapshot of drug use in Australia - investigators sampled wastewater from 51 sewage treatment plants in city and regional areas across the country. They were looking for 13 illicit and licit drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, alcohol, tobacco and prescription medication. Oxycodone - or hillbilly heroin - topped Victoria and Queensland particularly in regional areas. An investigative story has also been done by SBS Punjabi, in October 2015, referring to UNODC Month Year report, which says the growth of international trade also facilitates easier channels for illicit drug trafficking. In 2013 to 2014, Australian law enforcement agencies recorded more than 93 thousand illicit drug seizures - weighing approximately 27 tonnes.
