Illicit drugs linked to corruption

An alarming increase in the use, seizure and arrests for illicit drugs is the central finding of the Australian Crime Commission's annual report, released on Monday, with significant implications for sport, especially the professional football codes.

ACC chief executive John Lawler warns "the illicit drug market remains the principal source of profit for organised crime".

He said criminals infiltrate sporting clubs and gain information or compromise players in exchange for illicit drugs, such as amphetamines and cocaine, and use it to spot-bet, or fix matches, capitalising on the myriad gambling outlets now available.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton issued a similar warning following the AFL's announcement on Thursday of a more than fourfold increase in the number of positive tests by AFL players for illicit substances.

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Ashton said illicit drugs, rather than the performance and image-enhancing drugs that had caught players from Cronulla and Essendon, had a greater potential to compromise the integrity of players and matches.

While PIEDs are banned only for elite sportspeople, illicit drugs involve athletes in criminal activity.

The NRL admits it is sufficiently concerned about the risk of illicit drugs to consider implementing a centralised program of target and random testing.

The ACC's report reveals 76,000 seizures of cannabis, amphetamine-type substances, heroin, cocaine and other substances, together with 93,000 illicit drug-related arrests both the highest of the past decade.

While cannabis has remained the dominant illicit drug over the past decade, cocaine and amphetamines are the drugs of choice for footballers.

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Illicit drugs linked to corruption