China and Australia will continue to work together to counter the illegal drugs trade, Australia's justice minister said on Tuesday, after both countries agreed to extend a cooperation program until January 2018.
Announcing the extension of the Taskforce Blaze partnership between Australian Federal Police and the Chinese National Narcotics Control Commission, Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the taskforce had been responsible for the seizure of tons of illicit drugs worth billions of dollars.
Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan
In 18 months, 10.5 tons of illegal substances worth more than 5 billion Australian dollars (3.74 billion US dollars) were seized, an average of more than half a ton of drugs and millions of street deals every month, said Keenan.
"Taskforce Blaze is the first ever joint agency task force of its kind in the world and Australia remains the only country to have such crime fighting cooperation with China," Keenan said.
Since its launch in November 2015, the task force has proven to be an effective way of stopping the flow of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine (known as ice), to Australian streets, Keenan said.
He said that drugs remained one of the biggest scourges on Australian society, with families and friends as well as users affected.
"The work of Taskforce Blaze is saving lives. Just one hit of an illicit drug can take a life, destroy a family and devastate a community," he said.
The minister added that the program's success would continue, issuing a warning to drug traffickers in both countries that authorities would find them.
"The extension of Taskforce Blaze should serve as a warning to the criminals who peddle in the misery of drugs: we will stop you," Keenan said.
"Under the new agreement, the scope will continue to focus on expanding investigations into multinational drug smuggling organizations," he said.
"Organized crime knows no borders and is clearly a transnational threat shared by our countries and our region."
(Source: Xinhua)
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