Cocaine drug lords hit Australia

A "GENERATIONAL shift" has pushed demand for cocaine to unprecedented levels, giving Australia the dubious honour of being the world's most lucrative market for the illicit drug.

International drug cartels are specifically targeting Australia, where a kilo of the drug now fetches $190,000.

An internal report by the Australian Federal Police has warned that international drug cartels are now specifically targeting Australia for cocaine shipments.

Seizures of the drug have grown by 20 per cent since 2003.

In the US a kilo of cocaine is worth $30,000 to $35,000.

The high Australian street value has sparked increased interest from overseas crime syndicates, a confidential internal report by the Australian Federal Police has warned.

"Across the board in all types of drugs, not just cocaine, the price paid per kilo in Australia is considerably higher than the price paid per kilogram anywhere else in the world," the report said.

Between 2003 and 2006/7, cocaine accounted for 4-5 per cent of drugs seized in Australia, 2007/08 rose to 10 per cent, 2008/09 25 per cent and so far in 2009/10, 10 per cent.

The report, handed to AFP chiefs just a week ago to be used to "evaluate the threat" and allocate resources accordingly, came as authorities in Colombia smashed a major international cartel in the process of several significant shipments to Australia.

Intelligence from that operation also found Australia was being used to launder significant amounts of money to fund global drug distribution enterprises elsewhere, including Europe.

According to the AFP's threat assessment report, the renewed popularity of cocaine came with Australia having experienced "a generational shift" away from opiate drugs such as heroin.

It concluded that while amphetamines such as ice were still popular with young users, well publicised associated risks and harms had put them off use.

The perception of risks associated with cocaine, however, were seen as lower and thus had made the drug more popular. Once the drug of choice for the rich in the 1980s, cocaine is now being abused by teens of average wealth