More than $10 million in drugs have been seized by Tasmania Police over nice months up until March this year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police Minister Michael Ferguson said on Sunday drugs taken off the streets by police include hauls of cannabis, ice, amphetamine and ecstasy as well as seizures of cocaine and heroin.
He said police detected 1968 drug offenders over the nine-month period, including 258 offenders who copped serious drug charges.
Of the serious drug charges,150 related to cannabis and 106 to methylamphetamine.
"The Hodgman Liberal Government fighting back against the destructive impact that drugs such as ice have on our local communities and we are the strongest supporters of Tasmania Police as they crack down on drug trafficking," Mr Ferguson said.
"While cannabis remains the most commonly used illicit drug in Tasmania, crystal methamphetamine or 'ice' is of the greatest concern because it is more potent, more dangerous and more addictive than any other illegal drug."
According to the most recent Tasmania Police annual report there was 147.4 kilograms of processed cannabis seized in 2017-18 compared to 194 kilograms in the previous financial year.
There was 1.73 kilograms of methylamphetamine, or ice, seized last financial year, compared to 3.33 kilograms the year before.
As for amphetamines, there was 452 grams seized and 8.86 kilograms of ecstasy and MDMA tablets - compared to 6.5 kilograms in 2016-17.
There were 494 people named up as serious drug offenders in the annual report and 2686 other drug offenders.
Of the serious drug offenders, 141 related to ice.
Mr Ferguson said the government had a goal for Tasmania to have the lowest ice usage in the country by 2022.
He said new steps to work towards that goal included the appointment of specialist ice investigators in each of Tasmania Police's district drug services and an increase in the number of detection dogs throughout the state.