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MAHMOOD FAZAL:
Inside this Ho Chi Minh City building
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is an apartment used by an alleged
baron of Australia's meth trade.
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For months I've been investigating
the supply chain for methamphetamine,
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mostly ice, or crystal meth...
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They're huge.
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They're huge.
..following high-level traffickers,
dealers, cooks, runners, enforcers...
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..following high-level traffickers,
dealers, cooks, runners, enforcers...
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I'm loyal to the people I'm with,
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and I'm aggressive and violent
to protect them.
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..retracing the journey
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the drug takes from its source
in South-East Asia
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to the people
who control the trade there -
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powerful militia
and secretive Chinese syndicates.
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If you were to describe the triads
in one word, what word would you use?
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If you were to describe the triads
Ruthless.
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Ruthless.
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Cold.
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We've never been more challenged.
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It's relentless. It's 24/7.
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Australia is one of the most
lucrative meth markets.
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Australia is one of the most
Last year
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Last year
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we shot up, smoked and snorted
Last year
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we shot up, smoked and snorted
around 10.5 tonnes of meth -
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a 17% increase on the year before.
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We spent about $10 billion
on the drug.
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It's easy to get. It's easy to use.
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It's reasonably cheap.
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But the consequences are devastating.
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The humiliation, the judgement,
the segregations.
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I've travelled thousands
of kilometres along the meth pipeline
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I've travelled thousands
to investigate the trade
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to investigate the trade
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and to hunt a man believed to be
one of the drug barons behind it.
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I'm at this address
waiting for a meth cook.
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A little bit nervous
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because it's taken a lot
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for us to convince him to
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be part of this documentary
for us to convince him to
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be part of this documentary
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and to tell his side of the story,
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and to tell his side of the story,
and I hope he shows up.
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and I hope he shows up.
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(KNOCK AT DOOR)
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He's here.
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Turn the camera off.
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Hello?
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Thanks for coming.
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How are you?
Thanks for coming.
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How are you?
Good.
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CREW: Is it OK if I film?
Can she film yet or...
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Yes. Yeah, yeah.
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Of course.
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This cook has asked me
to call him Brendan.
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This cook has asked me
What have you got in your bag?
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What have you got in your bag?
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He says he's going to explain
how he cuts his ice.
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What's in this tub?
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So, it's good for you?
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Guys like Brendan operate at the
bottom of a vast global supply chain.
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How much is that worth?
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At a high-level
commercial trafficking level,
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what kind of product
are they dealing with?
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They're huge.
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How much money could you make
off one of those big rocks
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on the street?
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(CHUCKLES)
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I'm just gonna get some more light.
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Cutting maximises profits
I'm just gonna get some more light.
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Cutting maximises profits
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by diluting the meth with a cheap
substitute to bulk out the product.
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And Brendan's going to show me
just one part of the process.
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And then just go straight in.
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Australia is a key market.
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We're among the world's
biggest users.
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For the past 10 years
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outreach workers Jane and Mike
have seen the havoc firsthand.
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JANE: On the street
there's more chaos.
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There's a lot more engagement
with police.
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There's a massive increase
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There's a massive increase
drug-induced psychosis,
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in what we call
drug-induced psychosis,
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or they might
call it 'dip'.
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or they might
call it 'dip'.
Jane says ice has taken over.
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Jane says ice has taken over.
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And I would say 95% of my caseload
Jane says ice has taken over.
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And I would say 95% of my caseload
is now meth users.
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What are your thoughts on...
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They spot a rough sleeper
Jane used to work with.
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His name is Matty and he says
he'll meet them in a nearby park.
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He also tells Jane and Mike
he had a hit a few hours ago.
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MIKE: He keeps saying
he's going to go, and then he...
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..he gets distracted
and does something else anyway.
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..he gets distracted
and does something else anyway.
And if he doesn't come in 5 or 10,
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And if he doesn't come in 5 or 10,
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I would guess we're probably...
And if he doesn't come in 5 or 10,
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I would guess we're probably...
we'd be here for hours.
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Time doesn't have
much relevance here.
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Time doesn't have
Eventually they catch up with him.
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Eventually they catch up with him.
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And how are things going
Eventually they catch up with him.
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And how are things going
for you at the moment?
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Matty's paranoid
police are coming for him.
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You know, you're just
a homeless-bum no-one.
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He insists
on going somewhere private.
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OK, what about
snap, crackle and pop?
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OK, what about
After about an hour and a half
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After about an hour and a half
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he's ready to talk.
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How's today been for you?
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Um...
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Uh...
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Lately I've been
struggling in myself a bit.
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You know, I was up all night.
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Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
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You're not sleeping at night
or it's just too hard to...
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No, I just finally
got some decent ice last night.
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Ah.
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And if you buy a half ball...
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Matty starts describing
his experiences on the drug.
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Well, I've had to do things
that I don't like doing.
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Sometimes you can get
a contaminated hit.
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You know, a dirty hit
is quite unpleasant of unpleasants.
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Everyone's got their own...
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As I listen to Matty,
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I can't help
but think about the meth barons
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swamping our streets
with this devastating drug.
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And it can take a life, possibly,
at the extremes.
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And it can take a life, possibly,
I want to know who's behind it.
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I want to know who's behind it.
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Yeah.
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(INSECTS CHIRP)
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I keep hearing about a guy
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who's suspected of being behind
I keep hearing about a guy
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who's suspected of being behind
some of the large meth shipments
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who's suspected of being behind
hitting our shores.
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hitting our shores.
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I've been trying to get his name
for weeks.
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So far no luck.
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I've decided,
if I really want to find him,
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I need to understand his world.
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To operate a meth syndicate,
you need five things -
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To operate a meth syndicate,
a manufacturer, a trafficker,
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a manufacturer, a trafficker,
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a door - someone who creates a hole
a manufacturer, a trafficker,
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a door - someone who creates a hole
at the Australian border,
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muscle - a bunch of violent people
to keep everyone in line,
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muscle - a bunch of violent people
and finally you need distributors
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and finally you need distributors
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who get the drugs to the streets.
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I'm on my way
to meet with a syndicate
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who work with a Chinese triad.
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The whole meeting's cloaked
in secrecy and light on details.
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At the last minute
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they give me an address.
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We've hit some unexpected traffic,
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and we could potentially
be a few minutes late.
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I'm really...
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..anxious that they might think
something's gone wrong on our end
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..anxious that they might think
or that they couldn't trust us
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or that they couldn't trust us
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because we're even
or that they couldn't trust us
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because we're even
just a few minutes late.
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That's how high the level of
paranoia is in situations like this.
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Two guys meet me at the door.
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They're on edge.
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They tell me to go to the laundry.
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There's a heap of meth
and a heap of money.
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It's quite an almost...
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..like a citrusy smell.
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It's really...
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Yeah, like lime or citrus.
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They say lately they've been getting
undercut by Mexican cartels
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who are starting to dominate
this multi-billion-dollar market.
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They tell us
this is their morning's takings.
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They tell us
So, the people I've spoken to
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So, the people I've spoken to
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who supply large commercial
quantities of methamphetamine
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have said that the Chinese importers
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will buy it
for roughly $1,000 to $3,000
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will buy it
in Northern Thailand.
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in Northern Thailand.
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But by the time
they get it across the border here,
in Northern Thailand.
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But by the time
they get it across the border here,
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they charge
roughly $10,000 to $30,000 per kilo.
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And then the distributors
roughly $10,000 to $30,000 per kilo.
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And then the distributors
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And then the distributors
purchasing off the Chinese triads
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purchasing off the Chinese triads
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will charge roughly between
purchasing off the Chinese triads
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will charge roughly between
$60,000 and $70,000 for a kilo.
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will charge roughly between
$60,000 and $70,000 for a kilo.
The profits are massive.
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The profits are massive.
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It's taken me a while,
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but a former high-level distributor
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has finally agreed to talk.
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He was once near the top
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of the Australian meth game.
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It's hard to fully verify
what people are saying.
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But their stories match
a lot of what I've seen and heard
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But their stories match
during our investigation.
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during our investigation.
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It's really rare for anyone of this
calibre to speak candidly on camera.
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Are we rolling?
CREW: We're rolling.
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Who are we rolling?
Nah, I'm kid...
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Who are we rolling?
(LAUGHS)
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(LAUGHS)
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He wants to be known as Jay.
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He's done time for trafficking
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and he started dealing
when he was 14.
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I'm more worried about how I'm going
to put food on the table and...
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Jay says he started selling weed.
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On a daily basis I was getting,
like, at least 70, 80 phone calls.
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Like, I couldn't even sit down
to have a proper meal, you know?
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The authorities say that...
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He tells me he moved up the chain
selling to other dealers.
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Then a distributor
offered him some meth.
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They asked me
how long I was going to take
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to actually move the product.
220
00:12:35,020 --> 00:12:36,460
I told them, "I don't know,"
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because, honestly, I didn't know
how I was...what I was capable of.
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And, yeah, it took me two days,
less than two days.
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Soon Jay says he was making
30 to 40 grand a week.
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Soon Jay says he was making
Were you ever tempted to touch it?
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Were you ever tempted to touch it?
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No, not really
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because just seeing all the...
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..everybody else having the downfall
and everything else,
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..everybody else having the downfall
it's disgusting.
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it's disgusting.
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What makes it disgusting?
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The fact that people see that
as a priority.
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I've had clienteles
where, for example,
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they have the kids running
around in nappies and everything,
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nappies hasn't been changed
in the past two or three days.
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Instead of them using
that financial...
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..like, financial funds on
their own kid, they're passing out,
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and it's just, like...
Man, it's just...yeah, but...
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Didn't then that spin you out,
though?
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That they were paying you...
Yeah, it did... Yeah, it did,
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but at the end of day,
if they don't grab it for me,
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they'll grab it from elsewhere,
which...
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they'll grab it from elsewhere,
They'll grab from elsewhere,
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They'll grab from elsewhere,
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someone else will probably give them
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a product that's even lower grade,
like percentage, than mine,
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which doesn't...so, they're not even
getting the money's worth.
248
00:13:27,340 --> 00:13:31,260
Things have changed
since Jay was in the game.
249
00:13:31,260 --> 00:13:32,660
A kilo
was a large amount of product,
250
00:13:32,660 --> 00:13:34,460
you know,
whereas now we're talking about...
251
00:13:34,460 --> 00:13:36,220
..we're talking about
half a tonne, tonnes.
252
00:13:36,220 --> 00:13:37,420
Man...
253
00:13:37,420 --> 00:13:38,980
The triads.
That's where the triads come in.
254
00:13:38,980 --> 00:13:39,220
The triads.
With triads there's contracts,
255
00:13:39,220 --> 00:13:41,100
With triads there's contracts,
256
00:13:41,100 --> 00:13:46,380
for example, what you can...capable
of doing and what you promise them,
257
00:13:46,380 --> 00:13:50,020
what you can able do and, yeah,
keeping your word to it and whatnot.
258
00:13:50,020 --> 00:13:52,580
Otherwise they just cut you off.
And if not, then...
259
00:13:52,580 --> 00:13:54,820
Everything comes with consequences
and everything else.
260
00:13:54,820 --> 00:13:57,340
You know what you signed up for.
They know what they signed up for.
261
00:13:57,340 --> 00:14:02,100
One of Jay's associates
says the triads guarantee delivery.
262
00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:06,740
If a shipment is lost,
they wear the cost and send another.
263
00:14:09,900 --> 00:14:11,220
For years
264
00:14:11,220 --> 00:14:17,220
several of those triads operated in a
lucrative network called The Company.
265
00:14:17,220 --> 00:14:20,740
I've heard that the suspected
drug baron I've been looking for
266
00:14:20,740 --> 00:14:23,740
has been working
with what's left of that network.
267
00:14:23,740 --> 00:14:23,980
has been working
At its height
268
00:14:23,980 --> 00:14:25,220
At its height
269
00:14:25,220 --> 00:14:30,020
The Company was thought to be earning
as much as $17 billion a year,
270
00:14:30,020 --> 00:14:32,620
more than some Fortune 500 companies.
271
00:14:32,620 --> 00:14:35,460
Australia was a key market.
272
00:14:37,660 --> 00:14:42,140
The man police allege was head
of The Company, Tse Chi Lop,
273
00:14:42,140 --> 00:14:44,660
was arrested
and eventually brought to Australia
274
00:14:44,660 --> 00:14:44,900
was arrested
to face trafficking charges in 2021.
275
00:14:44,900 --> 00:14:47,460
to face trafficking charges in 2021.
276
00:14:48,420 --> 00:14:50,460
This arrest would be
277
00:14:50,460 --> 00:14:53,620
one of the most high-profile arrests
in the history of the AFP.
278
00:14:55,180 --> 00:14:58,340
He is awaiting committal
in a Melbourne prison.
279
00:14:59,300 --> 00:15:02,660
IAN MCCARTNEY: Operation Kungur
that started off in 2017
280
00:15:02,660 --> 00:15:06,900
was a priority focus
on what we call The Company,
281
00:15:06,900 --> 00:15:08,220
a South-East Asian syndicate
282
00:15:08,220 --> 00:15:12,540
that was responsible for significant
imports into Australia.
283
00:15:12,540 --> 00:15:12,780
that was responsible for significant
And through the work of the AFP
284
00:15:12,780 --> 00:15:14,220
And through the work of the AFP
285
00:15:14,220 --> 00:15:14,460
working with over 17 agencies
And through the work of the AFP
286
00:15:14,460 --> 00:15:17,660
working with over 17 agencies
in a range of countries,
287
00:15:17,660 --> 00:15:20,300
from our perspective,
we've greatly degraded
288
00:15:20,300 --> 00:15:20,540
from our perspective,
the activities of that syndicate.
289
00:15:20,540 --> 00:15:22,780
the activities of that syndicate.
290
00:15:30,500 --> 00:15:33,900
I'm learning more
about the meth business.
291
00:15:33,900 --> 00:15:34,180
For months I've been chasing
a former enforcer.
I'm learning more
about the meth business.
292
00:15:34,180 --> 00:15:37,580
For months I've been chasing
a former enforcer.
293
00:15:37,580 --> 00:15:39,420
He's finally agreed to meet.
294
00:15:40,780 --> 00:15:43,220
There's a real risk he won't turn up.
295
00:15:46,860 --> 00:15:48,620
(PHONE LINE RINGS)
296
00:15:49,820 --> 00:15:51,660
(ON SPEAKERPHONE) Hello?
Johnny.
297
00:15:51,660 --> 00:15:53,500
Are you here?
Yeah. I'm here.
298
00:15:55,780 --> 00:16:00,140
There's only one form of regulation
within the drugs trade -
299
00:16:00,140 --> 00:16:00,380
There's only one form of regulation
violence.
300
00:16:00,380 --> 00:16:02,060
violence.
301
00:16:03,620 --> 00:16:05,660
I'm loyal to the people I'm with
302
00:16:05,660 --> 00:16:09,460
and I'm aggressive
and violent
303
00:16:09,460 --> 00:16:10,820
to protect them.
304
00:16:11,900 --> 00:16:14,340
Johnny served 16 years in prison
305
00:16:14,340 --> 00:16:18,140
for hacking a man to death
with a samurai sword.
306
00:16:19,340 --> 00:16:21,700
In the moment
when I need to do something,
307
00:16:21,700 --> 00:16:21,940
In the moment
it's like there's a switch...
308
00:16:21,940 --> 00:16:23,780
it's like there's a switch...
309
00:16:24,740 --> 00:16:26,340
..and just click and I'm going.
310
00:16:26,340 --> 00:16:30,620
This is the attitude
you need to become an enforcer.
311
00:16:30,620 --> 00:16:32,500
I can't hold back.
312
00:16:32,500 --> 00:16:34,700
Even if you pull me back,
313
00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:36,580
I will go forward again.
314
00:16:36,580 --> 00:16:36,820
If I seen him bleeding,
I will go forward again.
315
00:16:36,820 --> 00:16:40,460
If I seen him bleeding,
I want to see more bleeding.
316
00:16:41,940 --> 00:16:44,180
But that's...that's...
You know that's not normal.
317
00:16:44,180 --> 00:16:45,540
That's not normal.
318
00:16:45,540 --> 00:16:46,460
Exactly.
319
00:16:47,420 --> 00:16:51,500
I want to know how someone
becomes muscle for a triad.
320
00:16:51,500 --> 00:16:54,860
Johnny tells me
his life flipped in his early teens.
321
00:16:54,860 --> 00:16:55,100
Johnny tells me
We were a really loving family.
322
00:16:55,100 --> 00:16:56,980
We were a really loving family.
323
00:16:56,980 --> 00:16:58,900
I was a good...good kid at home.
324
00:16:58,900 --> 00:17:02,620
He says he started hanging out
with a troubled kid,
325
00:17:02,620 --> 00:17:04,180
and within months
326
00:17:04,180 --> 00:17:08,220
Johnny and the kid were roaming
the streets getting into fights.
327
00:17:08,220 --> 00:17:08,460
Johnny and the kid were roaming
I named us White Rose.
328
00:17:08,460 --> 00:17:10,700
I named us White Rose.
329
00:17:10,700 --> 00:17:13,100
In Asian culture
330
00:17:13,100 --> 00:17:15,500
white rose means death.
331
00:17:15,500 --> 00:17:16,700
Another incident happened...
332
00:17:16,700 --> 00:17:20,300
Johnny says he got a reputation
for extreme violence,
333
00:17:20,300 --> 00:17:21,700
and that led to prison,
334
00:17:21,700 --> 00:17:23,820
where he met a senior triad.
335
00:17:23,820 --> 00:17:26,580
If you could only use one word
336
00:17:26,580 --> 00:17:26,820
to describe the triads
If you could only use one word
337
00:17:26,820 --> 00:17:30,140
to describe the triads
that you've met,
338
00:17:30,140 --> 00:17:30,380
to describe the triads
what would that word be?
339
00:17:30,380 --> 00:17:31,460
what would that word be?
340
00:17:31,460 --> 00:17:32,620
Cold.
341
00:17:33,580 --> 00:17:37,300
When you sit with him, you talked
to him, you looked at him,
342
00:17:37,300 --> 00:17:40,940
you actually felt that...
that coldness from him.
343
00:17:41,900 --> 00:17:43,180
Then the power.
344
00:17:43,180 --> 00:17:44,540
He's a gentleman...
345
00:17:44,540 --> 00:17:46,940
He tells me more about the triads.
346
00:17:46,940 --> 00:17:49,580
They very well-organised.
347
00:17:49,580 --> 00:17:53,900
To them, business is more important
than violence.
348
00:17:54,860 --> 00:17:58,580
They only use violence
only when they needed it.
349
00:17:58,580 --> 00:18:01,420
But it's someone else is doing it,
not them.
350
00:18:02,380 --> 00:18:04,340
Which is smart, right?
351
00:18:04,340 --> 00:18:04,580
I've heard from other sources
Which is smart, right?
352
00:18:04,580 --> 00:18:09,460
I've heard from other sources
there's a hierarchy amongst triads.
353
00:18:09,460 --> 00:18:09,700
I've heard from other sources
Melbourne triads report to Sydney,
354
00:18:09,700 --> 00:18:12,020
Melbourne triads report to Sydney,
355
00:18:12,020 --> 00:18:13,940
Sydney to Hong Kong,
356
00:18:13,940 --> 00:18:15,340
Hong Kong to Macau
357
00:18:15,340 --> 00:18:17,740
and Macau to mainland China.
358
00:18:17,740 --> 00:18:19,940
I wasn't trying
to make a name for myself...
359
00:18:19,940 --> 00:18:20,180
I wasn't trying
I asked Johnny to confirm,
360
00:18:20,180 --> 00:18:21,700
I asked Johnny to confirm,
361
00:18:21,700 --> 00:18:23,900
but he doesn't want to talk about it.
362
00:18:23,900 --> 00:18:25,860
I asked him about Tse Chi Lop,
363
00:18:25,860 --> 00:18:28,260
who's also known as Sam Gor.
364
00:18:28,260 --> 00:18:30,300
Police are making a big statement
365
00:18:30,300 --> 00:18:33,860
about the recent arrest
of one Chinese triad called Sam Gor.
366
00:18:33,860 --> 00:18:34,100
about the recent arrest
OK. Yeah.
367
00:18:34,100 --> 00:18:35,060
OK. Yeah.
368
00:18:35,060 --> 00:18:35,300
And they're saying
OK. Yeah.
369
00:18:35,300 --> 00:18:36,980
And they're saying
that they've got the godfather
370
00:18:36,980 --> 00:18:37,220
And they're saying
of the whole of the South-East.
371
00:18:37,220 --> 00:18:38,460
of the whole of the South-East.
372
00:18:38,460 --> 00:18:39,660
Yeah.
373
00:18:39,660 --> 00:18:41,940
What do you make of that?
374
00:18:41,940 --> 00:18:43,300
(LAUGHS)
375
00:18:43,300 --> 00:18:46,740
If they was the biggest person
in the organisation
376
00:18:46,740 --> 00:18:46,980
If they was the biggest person
and then now they get busted,
377
00:18:46,980 --> 00:18:48,300
and then now they get busted,
378
00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:48,540
how come they all organisations
and then now they get busted,
379
00:18:48,540 --> 00:18:51,300
how come they all organisations
still stand still?
380
00:18:51,300 --> 00:18:51,540
how come they all organisations
Who's running them?
381
00:18:51,540 --> 00:18:52,860
Who's running them?
382
00:18:54,420 --> 00:18:57,540
People are consuming
almost as much meth
383
00:18:57,540 --> 00:19:01,460
as when The Company was allegedly
operating under Tse Chi Lop.
384
00:19:01,460 --> 00:19:01,700
as when The Company was allegedly
And what I'm hearing
385
00:19:01,700 --> 00:19:03,140
And what I'm hearing
386
00:19:03,140 --> 00:19:06,220
is the rumoured drug baron
I've been investigating
387
00:19:06,220 --> 00:19:08,260
is helping to keep the meth flowing.
388
00:19:09,860 --> 00:19:14,500
People are telling me if I want to
find them and understand their trade,
389
00:19:14,500 --> 00:19:16,420
I need to go to South-East Asia.
390
00:19:28,220 --> 00:19:31,260
(BIRDS TWITTER)
391
00:19:38,140 --> 00:19:41,300
My first port of call is Bangkok,
392
00:19:41,300 --> 00:19:43,300
where I find Patrick Winn.
393
00:19:43,300 --> 00:19:44,980
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
394
00:19:44,980 --> 00:19:45,220
Your handwriting
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
395
00:19:45,220 --> 00:19:47,740
Your handwriting
is nearly as horrible as mine.
396
00:19:47,740 --> 00:19:49,940
(LAUGHS) I'm a journalist, after all.
You're a journalist.
397
00:19:49,940 --> 00:19:52,820
(LAUGHS) Yeah.
Your credibility just shot up.
398
00:19:52,820 --> 00:19:53,060
(LAUGHS) Yeah.
(BOTH LAUGH)
399
00:19:53,060 --> 00:19:54,140
(BOTH LAUGH)
400
00:19:54,140 --> 00:19:54,380
Patrick studied Asian drug markets
(BOTH LAUGH)
401
00:19:54,380 --> 00:19:57,420
Patrick studied Asian drug markets
for a decade.
402
00:19:57,420 --> 00:19:57,660
Patrick studied Asian drug markets
It's coming to Australia...
403
00:19:57,660 --> 00:19:58,700
It's coming to Australia...
404
00:19:58,700 --> 00:20:01,220
He explains
how the meth business works.
405
00:20:01,220 --> 00:20:01,500
It begins
when an organised-crime syndicate
He explains
how the meth business works.
406
00:20:01,500 --> 00:20:03,540
It begins
when an organised-crime syndicate
407
00:20:03,540 --> 00:20:06,460
is looking for a place
to build a meth lab.
408
00:20:06,460 --> 00:20:06,700
is looking for a place
to build a meth lab.
That syndicate will go into Myanmar
409
00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:09,860
That syndicate will go into Myanmar
410
00:20:09,860 --> 00:20:11,540
and find an armed group.
411
00:20:11,540 --> 00:20:11,780
The armed group will say, "Yes,
and find an armed group.
412
00:20:11,780 --> 00:20:14,580
The armed group will say, "Yes,
you can build a meth lab here."
413
00:20:14,580 --> 00:20:16,460
They'll usually site it
next to a stream
414
00:20:16,460 --> 00:20:18,580
'cause it takes a lot of water
to make meth.
415
00:20:18,580 --> 00:20:24,900
And the armed group will take a tax
of the meth production.
416
00:20:24,900 --> 00:20:26,700
That's pretty much all they do.
417
00:20:26,700 --> 00:20:28,820
They make sure
that it's not raided by cops.
418
00:20:28,820 --> 00:20:32,340
They usually control their own areas
like little countries,
419
00:20:32,340 --> 00:20:33,580
so, the cops can't come in anyway.
420
00:20:33,580 --> 00:20:36,780
(BIRDS TWITTER)
421
00:20:36,780 --> 00:20:38,260
Patrick tells me
422
00:20:38,260 --> 00:20:38,500
drug runners take the meth from
Patrick tells me
423
00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:41,980
drug runners take the meth from
the lab in Myanmar to the border.
424
00:20:42,940 --> 00:20:45,940
Syndicates move it
from the border to a port.
425
00:20:47,340 --> 00:20:51,140
From there it's packed
into legal goods like tea or speakers
426
00:20:51,140 --> 00:20:51,380
From there it's packed
and smuggled into Australia.
427
00:20:51,380 --> 00:20:53,980
and smuggled into Australia.
428
00:20:53,980 --> 00:20:58,020
If there's demand on the Australian
side for more crystal meth,
429
00:20:58,020 --> 00:20:59,300
if it's really moving,
430
00:20:59,300 --> 00:21:03,540
the order can go all the way back up
to the meth labs in Myanmar,
431
00:21:03,540 --> 00:21:06,980
and they have the capacity
to produce more.
432
00:21:06,980 --> 00:21:08,660
The flow is so heavy
433
00:21:08,660 --> 00:21:12,820
that even if cops do pick off
this truck or that truck,
434
00:21:12,820 --> 00:21:13,060
that even if cops do pick off
they're getting at best 10%.
435
00:21:13,060 --> 00:21:17,020
they're getting at best 10%.
436
00:21:17,020 --> 00:21:18,780
It's just unstoppable.
437
00:21:20,940 --> 00:21:24,460
The heartland of meth production
in South-East Asia
438
00:21:24,460 --> 00:21:24,700
The heartland of meth production
is the Golden Triangle.
439
00:21:24,700 --> 00:21:26,420
is the Golden Triangle.
440
00:21:27,380 --> 00:21:28,940
It's a mountainous region
441
00:21:28,940 --> 00:21:30,860
that covers the borderlands
442
00:21:30,860 --> 00:21:33,900
of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
443
00:21:41,580 --> 00:21:44,940
It's rush hour in Mae Sai,
Northern Thailand.
444
00:21:45,900 --> 00:21:48,700
Authorities are on high alert.
445
00:21:48,700 --> 00:21:51,540
They're looking for drugs,
mainly meth,
446
00:21:51,540 --> 00:21:53,540
that might have slipped
across the border.
447
00:21:54,620 --> 00:21:56,180
Border areas like this
448
00:21:56,180 --> 00:21:59,980
are where the vast majority of drugs
enter Thailand.
449
00:21:59,980 --> 00:22:03,780
This is one of the front lines
in the global war on drugs.
450
00:22:05,940 --> 00:22:07,780
The day before we arrived
451
00:22:07,780 --> 00:22:11,780
the Thai military
shot and killed 15 meth smugglers
452
00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:13,700
trying to cross the nearby border.
453
00:22:21,060 --> 00:22:24,420
At a rural warehouse
not far from the checkpoint
454
00:22:24,420 --> 00:22:26,980
a drug smuggler starts work.
455
00:22:32,380 --> 00:22:33,860
Panel by panel
456
00:22:33,860 --> 00:22:34,100
he shows us how he readies
Panel by panel
457
00:22:34,100 --> 00:22:37,740
he shows us how he readies
his scooter for an illicit cargo...
458
00:22:42,300 --> 00:22:46,340
..tea bags usually crammed
with kilos of crystal meth.
459
00:22:48,060 --> 00:22:49,940
Every time he goes out
460
00:22:49,940 --> 00:22:52,500
he risks jail or death.
461
00:22:53,460 --> 00:22:55,340
He's part of a vast network
462
00:22:55,340 --> 00:22:57,540
that stretches
all the way to Australia,
463
00:22:57,540 --> 00:22:57,780
that stretches
a dark highway of drugs
464
00:22:57,780 --> 00:23:00,380
a dark highway of drugs
465
00:23:00,380 --> 00:23:04,220
which has risen more than 500%
in the past decade.
466
00:23:11,780 --> 00:23:15,860
People get shot, people get killed
doing this job.
467
00:23:15,860 --> 00:23:16,100
People get shot, people get killed
That could be you.
468
00:23:16,100 --> 00:23:17,420
That could be you.
469
00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:39,100
He's just one of many people
470
00:23:39,100 --> 00:23:40,860
who make a living on the edges
471
00:23:40,860 --> 00:23:44,980
of the Golden Triangle's
multi-billion-dollar meth trade.
472
00:23:49,060 --> 00:23:50,740
The Golden Triangle's
actually quite a big area,
473
00:23:50,740 --> 00:23:50,980
The Golden Triangle's
but this is the centre of it.
474
00:23:50,980 --> 00:23:52,060
but this is the centre of it.
475
00:23:52,060 --> 00:23:52,260
So, we're in Thailand.
but this is the centre of it.
476
00:23:52,260 --> 00:23:53,460
So, we're in Thailand.
477
00:23:53,460 --> 00:23:56,340
About 200 metres right over there
is Myanmar.
478
00:23:56,340 --> 00:23:56,580
About 200 metres right over there
is Myanmar.
And right across the river is Laos.
479
00:23:56,580 --> 00:23:57,860
And right across the river is Laos.
480
00:23:57,860 --> 00:23:58,100
So, we're literally
And right across the river is Laos.
481
00:23:58,100 --> 00:24:00,660
So, we're literally
where it all happens.
482
00:24:00,660 --> 00:24:05,540
I'm standing with Jeremy Douglas
at the apex of the Golden Triangle.
483
00:24:05,540 --> 00:24:08,620
He's led
the UN's anti-drug operations here
484
00:24:08,620 --> 00:24:09,820
for more than a decade.
485
00:24:09,820 --> 00:24:15,020
How much is the meth economy
in this region worth?
486
00:24:15,020 --> 00:24:18,340
The last time we measured it
a couple of years back pre-COVID
487
00:24:18,340 --> 00:24:18,580
The last time we measured it
was about $60 billion.
488
00:24:18,580 --> 00:24:20,620
was about $60 billion.
489
00:24:20,620 --> 00:24:20,860
But if you look
was about $60 billion.
490
00:24:20,860 --> 00:24:22,500
But if you look
at where concentrated production
491
00:24:22,500 --> 00:24:22,740
But if you look
really takes place,
492
00:24:22,740 --> 00:24:23,660
really takes place,
493
00:24:23,660 --> 00:24:25,180
it's really here
494
00:24:25,180 --> 00:24:26,380
and it is in Latin America,
495
00:24:26,380 --> 00:24:28,380
primarily in Mexico,
Central America.
496
00:24:28,380 --> 00:24:32,620
I asked Jeremy
what role triads play here.
497
00:24:32,620 --> 00:24:36,860
They've really had deep hooks
into the drug trade
498
00:24:36,860 --> 00:24:38,700
through this country and through
the surrounding countries,
499
00:24:38,700 --> 00:24:41,220
through Hong Kong,
through Yunnan, through Macau,
500
00:24:41,220 --> 00:24:42,780
for decades.
501
00:24:42,780 --> 00:24:43,020
So, really, their role in this today
for decades.
502
00:24:43,020 --> 00:24:45,940
So, really, their role in this today
is what it always was,
503
00:24:45,940 --> 00:24:46,180
So, really, their role in this today
which is to, essentially,
504
00:24:46,180 --> 00:24:48,100
which is to, essentially,
505
00:24:48,100 --> 00:24:51,420
connect the products of these places
to the markets.
506
00:24:53,060 --> 00:24:57,540
He says traffickers first came here
for heroin in the 1970s
507
00:24:57,540 --> 00:25:00,420
and then introduced meth
in the mid-'90s.
508
00:25:00,420 --> 00:25:04,500
The arrival of Tse Chi Lop
allegedly changed the game again.
509
00:25:05,460 --> 00:25:06,940
He did something unique.
510
00:25:06,940 --> 00:25:08,420
For the first time ever
511
00:25:08,420 --> 00:25:08,660
he took crystal meth, changed
For the first time ever
512
00:25:08,660 --> 00:25:10,940
he took crystal meth, changed
the business model and mentality
513
00:25:10,940 --> 00:25:15,500
around how do you procure
and distribute meth to the streets?
514
00:25:15,500 --> 00:25:19,540
And basically did that by connecting
this place to Australia.
515
00:25:19,540 --> 00:25:20,820
It had never been done before.
516
00:25:23,700 --> 00:25:26,780
It's further up the Mekong,
in Myanmar,
517
00:25:26,780 --> 00:25:27,020
It's further up the Mekong,
where massive super labs
518
00:25:27,020 --> 00:25:28,460
where massive super labs
519
00:25:28,460 --> 00:25:28,700
have been producing large amounts
where massive super labs
520
00:25:28,700 --> 00:25:32,740
have been producing large amounts
of meth bound for Australia.
521
00:25:34,940 --> 00:25:38,540
I'm talking to lots of people here
about the meth trade.
522
00:25:39,500 --> 00:25:40,900
At a local cafe
523
00:25:40,900 --> 00:25:42,380
I meet a Thai general
524
00:25:42,380 --> 00:25:45,900
who casually drops that a key player
in the global meth trade
525
00:25:45,900 --> 00:25:47,140
is an Australian man.
526
00:25:47,140 --> 00:25:49,660
He won't tell me his name.
527
00:25:49,660 --> 00:25:52,980
I immediately
think of the alleged drug baron.
528
00:26:03,700 --> 00:26:05,940
We've actually managed
to find someone
529
00:26:05,940 --> 00:26:09,060
who currently works
in a crystal-meth super lab.
530
00:26:09,060 --> 00:26:09,300
who currently works
It's incredibly rare access,
531
00:26:09,300 --> 00:26:11,540
It's incredibly rare access,
532
00:26:11,540 --> 00:26:11,780
and he's speaking to us
It's incredibly rare access,
533
00:26:11,780 --> 00:26:14,780
and he's speaking to us
at great danger to himself.
534
00:26:14,780 --> 00:26:17,780
We're on our way
to meet with him right now.
535
00:26:24,860 --> 00:26:29,860
I've been brought to a house on the
outskirts of the border town Mae Sai.
536
00:26:34,980 --> 00:26:36,980
Hello.
537
00:26:36,980 --> 00:26:37,220
Mr A.
Hello.
538
00:26:37,220 --> 00:26:38,940
Mr A.
Yes.
539
00:26:38,940 --> 00:26:40,940
Nice to meet you.
Thanks for having us.
540
00:26:40,940 --> 00:26:41,180
Nice to meet you.
Can we come in?
541
00:26:41,180 --> 00:26:42,540
Can we come in?
542
00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:51,580
What exactly do you do for work?
543
00:27:07,180 --> 00:27:09,140
How did you get into
this kind of work?
544
00:27:12,300 --> 00:27:18,140
Mr A used to play the popular Thai
sport sepak takraw at a high level,
545
00:27:18,140 --> 00:27:18,380
Mr A used to play the popular Thai
but got injured.
546
00:27:18,380 --> 00:27:19,980
but got injured.
547
00:27:24,260 --> 00:27:27,900
He says he started
using and selling meth.
548
00:27:27,900 --> 00:27:31,060
He was taken in
by a former team-mate's family,
549
00:27:31,060 --> 00:27:31,300
He was taken in
who put him to work in a meth lab.
550
00:27:31,300 --> 00:27:33,180
who put him to work in a meth lab.
551
00:27:34,460 --> 00:27:37,140
How much drugs
do they typically make?
552
00:27:44,420 --> 00:27:46,020
Is that every day?
553
00:27:49,020 --> 00:27:52,180
I ask him who owns the lab?
554
00:27:55,460 --> 00:27:58,340
Are they Chinese syndicates?
555
00:28:03,220 --> 00:28:05,740
(COMMANDER YELLS IN LOCAL LANGUAGE)
556
00:28:05,740 --> 00:28:07,660
(SOLDIERS YELL IN LOCAL LANGUAGE)
557
00:28:07,660 --> 00:28:10,620
(TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS)
558
00:28:10,620 --> 00:28:13,220
The United Wa State Army
559
00:28:13,220 --> 00:28:13,460
are an ethnic militia that profits
The United Wa State Army
560
00:28:13,460 --> 00:28:16,700
are an ethnic militia that profits
enormously from the meth trade.
561
00:28:16,700 --> 00:28:16,940
are an ethnic militia that profits
(SOLDIERS YELL IN LOCAL LANGUAGE)
562
00:28:16,940 --> 00:28:19,340
(SOLDIERS YELL IN LOCAL LANGUAGE)
563
00:28:21,100 --> 00:28:25,380
The Wa are a people
indigenous to Myanmar and China.
564
00:28:25,380 --> 00:28:29,660
A lot of the super labs
are on United Wa State Army territory
565
00:28:29,660 --> 00:28:31,300
in Myanmar's Shan State.
566
00:28:31,300 --> 00:28:32,780
(FIREWORKS EXPLODE)
567
00:28:33,740 --> 00:28:35,420
They're backed by Beijing,
568
00:28:35,420 --> 00:28:38,860
which turns a blind eye
to Chinese organised crime
569
00:28:38,860 --> 00:28:41,100
plying their trade on Wa land.
570
00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:45,940
(MOTORCYCLE ENGINE BUZZES)
571
00:28:45,940 --> 00:28:50,460
I've just found out a smaller
Wa militia might meet with me.
572
00:28:53,460 --> 00:28:55,660
They're called the Wa National Army.
573
00:28:57,420 --> 00:29:00,980
After several hours
I'm near the Myanmar border.
574
00:29:01,980 --> 00:29:05,060
We're in, um...Ban Rak Thai
575
00:29:05,060 --> 00:29:10,980
waiting to meet with someone
from the Wa National Army
576
00:29:10,980 --> 00:29:16,060
who will hopefully begin to escort us
across the border into Myanmar.
577
00:29:16,060 --> 00:29:19,740
I don't have a lot of faith that
we will get across the border tonight
578
00:29:19,740 --> 00:29:22,780
just because
we're losing light rapidly.
579
00:29:22,780 --> 00:29:25,020
Our fixer is on the phone
580
00:29:25,020 --> 00:29:28,420
pleading with whoever's on the other
end of the line to get us across.
581
00:29:28,420 --> 00:29:28,660
pleading with whoever's on the other
Um... Hopefully we will.
582
00:29:28,660 --> 00:29:30,900
Um... Hopefully we will.
583
00:29:31,860 --> 00:29:33,740
I'm not identifying our fixer
584
00:29:33,740 --> 00:29:38,260
because she works on both sides of
the border with some serious people.
585
00:29:38,260 --> 00:29:40,620
After 15 minutes of wrangling
586
00:29:40,620 --> 00:29:42,260
she has news.
587
00:29:43,220 --> 00:29:45,260
What do you think our chances are?
588
00:29:45,260 --> 00:29:45,500
We can cross, but...
What do you think our chances are?
589
00:29:45,500 --> 00:29:47,020
We can cross, but...
Tonight?
590
00:29:47,020 --> 00:29:47,260
We can cross, but...
We cannot cross tonight.
591
00:29:47,260 --> 00:29:48,860
We cannot cross tonight.
592
00:29:48,860 --> 00:29:50,620
We cannot cross tonight?
CREW: Yeah.
593
00:29:50,620 --> 00:29:52,540
We got to talk, like...
OK.
594
00:29:52,540 --> 00:29:55,060
..to see if we can cross tomorrow
6 o'clock.
595
00:29:55,060 --> 00:29:58,180
Yeah. So, even tomorrow
is up in the air still?
596
00:30:00,620 --> 00:30:02,900
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
597
00:30:02,900 --> 00:30:07,420
The Wa militia is saying they're not
sure they can guarantee our security.
598
00:30:07,420 --> 00:30:07,660
The Wa militia is saying they're not
Night-night! Goodnight!
599
00:30:07,660 --> 00:30:09,460
Night-night! Goodnight!
600
00:30:09,460 --> 00:30:11,980
Then they have a change of heart.
601
00:30:12,940 --> 00:30:17,340
We've just been told that we can
cross at 7:00AM tomorrow morning.
602
00:30:17,340 --> 00:30:17,580
We've just been told that we can
They were really nervous
603
00:30:17,580 --> 00:30:18,820
They were really nervous
604
00:30:18,820 --> 00:30:19,060
about the tense political situation
They were really nervous
605
00:30:19,060 --> 00:30:22,580
about the tense political situation
at the moment.
606
00:30:22,580 --> 00:30:22,820
about the tense political situation
It's a very quiet town now.
607
00:30:22,820 --> 00:30:25,060
It's a very quiet town now.
608
00:30:25,060 --> 00:30:26,500
It's around 10 o'clock,
609
00:30:26,500 --> 00:30:26,740
and I've seen two police cars
It's around 10 o'clock,
610
00:30:26,740 --> 00:30:31,460
and I've seen two police cars
kind of patrolling the area.
611
00:30:31,460 --> 00:30:36,020
So, we're hopeful that
everything's calm tomorrow morning
612
00:30:36,020 --> 00:30:36,260
So, we're hopeful that
and we can actually get across.
613
00:30:36,260 --> 00:30:38,260
and we can actually get across.
614
00:30:38,260 --> 00:30:41,100
(INSECTS CHIRP)
615
00:30:45,940 --> 00:30:47,700
(BIRDS TWITTER)
616
00:30:50,460 --> 00:30:53,340
I set out at dawn with an escort.
617
00:30:56,300 --> 00:31:00,140
We stop a few hundred metres
from a Thai military outpost.
618
00:31:02,300 --> 00:31:05,380
If they see me,
there could be trouble.
619
00:31:07,300 --> 00:31:10,020
We're about to cross the border
into Myanmar.
620
00:31:10,020 --> 00:31:14,980
It's been extremely difficult
trying to get access into the country
621
00:31:14,980 --> 00:31:20,020
because a recent wave of violence
has inflamed the civil war there.
622
00:31:20,020 --> 00:31:20,260
because a recent wave of violence
This volatile region
623
00:31:20,260 --> 00:31:22,620
This volatile region
624
00:31:22,620 --> 00:31:22,860
has different ethnic groups
This volatile region
625
00:31:22,860 --> 00:31:25,900
has different ethnic groups
fighting for territory,
626
00:31:25,900 --> 00:31:30,860
and it's also
where Australia's meth is produced.
627
00:31:30,860 --> 00:31:31,100
and it's also
They tell me this is the first time
628
00:31:31,100 --> 00:31:33,380
They tell me this is the first time
629
00:31:33,380 --> 00:31:33,620
international media
They tell me this is the first time
630
00:31:33,620 --> 00:31:36,220
international media
has visited this base.
631
00:31:43,860 --> 00:31:45,340
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too.
632
00:31:45,340 --> 00:31:47,140
Mahmood Fazal from the ABC.
OK.
633
00:31:47,140 --> 00:31:51,820
This is Colonel Lu Mong, local
commander of the Wa National Army.
634
00:31:51,820 --> 00:31:52,060
This is Colonel Lu Mong, local
How close is the fighting?
635
00:31:52,060 --> 00:31:53,620
How close is the fighting?
636
00:31:53,620 --> 00:31:56,300
The fighting, uh...over there...
637
00:32:10,220 --> 00:32:11,900
What can you hear?
638
00:32:17,140 --> 00:32:21,580
Lu Mong has about 200 fighters
living here.
639
00:32:21,580 --> 00:32:27,700
I want to know how close I am to the
source of meth production in Myanmar.
640
00:32:28,660 --> 00:32:31,100
Does the Wa National Army
641
00:32:31,100 --> 00:32:34,820
receive funding and support
from the United Wa State Army?
642
00:32:49,780 --> 00:32:54,060
Some of the experts that
we've spoken to about this region
643
00:32:54,060 --> 00:32:57,980
say that wherever there are guns
and militias
644
00:32:57,980 --> 00:32:58,220
say that wherever there are guns
there's going to be drug production.
645
00:32:58,220 --> 00:32:59,940
there's going to be drug production.
646
00:32:59,940 --> 00:33:01,660
What do you make of that?
647
00:33:17,460 --> 00:33:21,980
In the past, the Thai authorities
have arrested former members
648
00:33:21,980 --> 00:33:25,620
for drugs manufacturing
and drugs trafficking.
649
00:33:25,620 --> 00:33:25,860
for drugs manufacturing
What do you say to that allegation?
650
00:33:25,860 --> 00:33:27,460
What do you say to that allegation?
651
00:33:46,900 --> 00:33:51,660
Lu Mong's militia may or may not
be making or trafficking the meth,
652
00:33:51,660 --> 00:33:51,900
Lu Mong's militia may or may not
but since the 1950s
653
00:33:51,900 --> 00:33:53,780
but since the 1950s
654
00:33:53,780 --> 00:33:54,020
Shan State militias have been
but since the 1950s
655
00:33:54,020 --> 00:33:58,020
Shan State militias have been
benefiting from the drugs trade.
656
00:33:58,020 --> 00:34:02,380
Before meth, this area was known
as an opium-growing region.
657
00:34:02,380 --> 00:34:02,620
Before meth, this area was known
(LAUGHS)
658
00:34:02,620 --> 00:34:04,260
(LAUGHS)
659
00:34:04,260 --> 00:34:09,620
For decades it was controlled by
the notorious narco warlord Khun Sa.
660
00:34:09,620 --> 00:34:13,060
He's been romanticised
in popular movies.
661
00:34:13,060 --> 00:34:13,300
He's been romanticised
But quitting while you're ahead...
662
00:34:13,300 --> 00:34:15,540
But quitting while you're ahead...
663
00:34:16,540 --> 00:34:18,020
..is not the same as quitting.
664
00:34:18,020 --> 00:34:21,700
(ROOSTER CROWS)
665
00:34:21,700 --> 00:34:27,460
The former US Attorney-General
called him the 'Prince of Death'.
666
00:34:27,460 --> 00:34:27,700
The individual primarily responsible
The former US Attorney-General
called him the 'Prince of Death'.
667
00:34:27,700 --> 00:34:29,980
The individual primarily responsible
668
00:34:29,980 --> 00:34:33,100
for this worldwide
devastation of drug addiction
669
00:34:33,100 --> 00:34:33,340
for this worldwide
devastation of drug addiction
is Khun Sa.
670
00:34:33,340 --> 00:34:34,180
is Khun Sa.
671
00:34:35,620 --> 00:34:37,100
Hello, Khuensai.
672
00:34:37,100 --> 00:34:38,340
Hello.
673
00:34:38,340 --> 00:34:41,420
Pleased to meet you.
Welcome to our place.
674
00:34:41,420 --> 00:34:46,180
Khuensai Jaiyen
was Khun Sa's PR person.
675
00:34:46,180 --> 00:34:50,340
Today we catch up with him at
the office of a dissident newspaper
676
00:34:50,340 --> 00:34:50,580
Today we catch up with him at
he founded in Chiang Mai.
677
00:34:50,580 --> 00:34:52,100
he founded in Chiang Mai.
678
00:34:52,100 --> 00:34:52,340
And can you tell us a bit about
he founded in Chiang Mai.
679
00:34:52,340 --> 00:34:55,660
And can you tell us a bit about
this amazing jacket you've got?
680
00:34:55,660 --> 00:35:02,260
Well, when the village headman
has something to tell the villagers,
681
00:35:02,260 --> 00:35:06,540
you will see
a Shan beating a hollow log.
682
00:35:06,540 --> 00:35:07,940
And that's your role now?
683
00:35:07,940 --> 00:35:08,180
Your role now is really to hit the
And that's your role now?
684
00:35:08,180 --> 00:35:10,940
Your role now is really to hit the
log and have people listen, like us.
685
00:35:10,940 --> 00:35:11,180
Your role now is really to hit the
Yeah.
686
00:35:11,180 --> 00:35:12,540
Yeah.
687
00:35:12,540 --> 00:35:14,340
Most of the Shans...
688
00:35:14,340 --> 00:35:16,340
He says today's meth trade
689
00:35:16,340 --> 00:35:20,420
runs the same way as the opium trade
did in Khun Sa's time.
690
00:35:20,420 --> 00:35:23,900
To fight
against the Burmese government,
691
00:35:23,900 --> 00:35:28,980
we didn't have any
foreign government supporting us,
692
00:35:28,980 --> 00:35:33,740
and the only source of income for us
was opium,
693
00:35:33,740 --> 00:35:33,980
and the only source of income for us
which is already there.
694
00:35:33,980 --> 00:35:37,540
which is already there.
695
00:35:37,540 --> 00:35:42,540
And in the old days, it wasn't...
696
00:35:42,540 --> 00:35:43,900
..uh...illegal.
697
00:35:43,900 --> 00:35:47,220
(BIRDS TWITTER)
698
00:35:50,060 --> 00:35:53,580
Khuensai says
the real winners weren't the Shan.
699
00:35:53,580 --> 00:35:57,780
They were the Chinese and Laotian
generals who controlled the trade.
700
00:35:57,780 --> 00:35:58,020
They were the Chinese and Laotian
(WATER SPLASHES)
701
00:35:58,020 --> 00:36:00,780
(WATER SPLASHES)
702
00:36:00,780 --> 00:36:02,780
Journalist Patrick Winn says
703
00:36:02,780 --> 00:36:05,700
the syndicates running the super labs
in the Golden Triangle
704
00:36:05,700 --> 00:36:05,940
the syndicates running the super labs
are usually Chinese.
705
00:36:05,940 --> 00:36:07,420
are usually Chinese.
706
00:36:08,380 --> 00:36:10,620
PATRICK WINN:
They might be triad-affiliated,
707
00:36:10,620 --> 00:36:12,420
they might be full-blown triads,
708
00:36:12,420 --> 00:36:15,140
but they don't have to be.
709
00:36:15,140 --> 00:36:15,380
These people
are interested in business,
but they don't have to be.
710
00:36:15,380 --> 00:36:18,460
These people
are interested in business,
711
00:36:18,460 --> 00:36:18,700
These people
and their sons and daughters
712
00:36:18,700 --> 00:36:20,940
and their sons and daughters
713
00:36:20,940 --> 00:36:22,460
go to nice private schools
714
00:36:22,460 --> 00:36:24,780
and they live
in normal neighbourhoods
715
00:36:24,780 --> 00:36:28,300
and they're just really good
at moving things from A to B.
716
00:36:28,300 --> 00:36:28,540
and they're just really good
It really comes down to that.
717
00:36:28,540 --> 00:36:29,860
It really comes down to that.
718
00:36:29,860 --> 00:36:34,860
What exactly
does the meth economy in Australia
719
00:36:34,860 --> 00:36:37,100
fuel in this part of the world,
720
00:36:37,100 --> 00:36:39,580
in Myanmar specifically?
721
00:36:39,580 --> 00:36:44,300
So, when someone goes and buys
a bag of crystal meth in Australia,
722
00:36:44,300 --> 00:36:44,540
So, when someone goes and buys
um... (SCOFFS)
723
00:36:44,540 --> 00:36:46,220
um... (SCOFFS)
724
00:36:46,220 --> 00:36:47,580
..they're fuelling a long chain
725
00:36:47,580 --> 00:36:50,140
that goes all the way back
into the Golden Triangle,
726
00:36:50,140 --> 00:36:50,380
that goes all the way back
into the mountains of Myanmar.
727
00:36:50,380 --> 00:36:51,980
into the mountains of Myanmar.
728
00:36:51,980 --> 00:36:52,220
You have made a Chinese organised
into the mountains of Myanmar.
729
00:36:52,220 --> 00:36:56,940
You have made a Chinese organised
crime syndicate a little bit richer.
730
00:36:56,940 --> 00:36:57,180
You have made a Chinese organised
You've probably partially funded
731
00:36:57,180 --> 00:36:58,980
You've probably partially funded
732
00:36:58,980 --> 00:37:03,540
the purchase of everything
from weapons, medicine,
733
00:37:03,540 --> 00:37:06,420
um...you know, asphalt to pave roads
734
00:37:06,420 --> 00:37:09,060
in an impoverished part of Myanmar.
735
00:37:09,060 --> 00:37:12,660
I mean, it actually helps
prop up Myanmar's junta as well.
736
00:37:17,300 --> 00:37:21,340
After months of digging, phone calls
and late-night meetings
737
00:37:21,340 --> 00:37:25,180
I've got the name
of the suspected drug baron.
738
00:37:25,180 --> 00:37:30,220
I discover he may be living
in Vietnam or Cambodia.
739
00:37:30,220 --> 00:37:33,380
And I learn
police are investigating him too.
740
00:37:34,340 --> 00:37:36,060
With a name,
741
00:37:36,060 --> 00:37:39,060
our team gets this Facebook video.
742
00:37:39,060 --> 00:37:41,860
His tattoos help identify him.
743
00:37:41,860 --> 00:37:43,540
They're exactly what you'd expect
744
00:37:43,540 --> 00:37:46,820
of a senior figure
in the Asian organised-crime world.
745
00:37:47,780 --> 00:37:51,660
His name is Daniel Rodney Badger.
746
00:37:51,660 --> 00:37:51,860
SONG: # My whole world changed
His name is Daniel Rodney Badger.
747
00:37:51,860 --> 00:37:54,820
SONG: # My whole world changed
748
00:37:54,820 --> 00:37:55,020
SONG: # My whole world changed
# From the moment I met you
749
00:37:55,020 --> 00:37:58,140
# From the moment I met you
750
00:37:58,140 --> 00:37:59,700
# And it would never... #
751
00:37:59,700 --> 00:38:03,180
This is a video
of his lavish wedding in Vietnam.
752
00:38:03,180 --> 00:38:07,740
# Felt like I knew
that I always loved you... #
753
00:38:07,740 --> 00:38:12,700
Badger is on the Australian Federal
Police's high-value target list.
754
00:38:15,500 --> 00:38:20,740
Is it fair to say that you'd have
to be one of the major drug importers
755
00:38:20,740 --> 00:38:23,860
to be classified
under that high-value target list?
756
00:38:23,860 --> 00:38:25,780
There's a range of factors
to consider,
757
00:38:25,780 --> 00:38:28,620
but that would be
one of the key factors, yes.
758
00:38:28,620 --> 00:38:31,660
We're sitting in AFP headquarters.
759
00:38:31,660 --> 00:38:35,500
There's a room, an ops room,
in this building, a windowless room,
760
00:38:35,500 --> 00:38:40,460
and we have pictures of all of
the high-value targets on the wall.
761
00:38:40,460 --> 00:38:43,380
And we're just working through them
one by one and ticking them off.
762
00:38:43,380 --> 00:38:46,420
It's a priority focus
in terms of taking them out
763
00:38:46,420 --> 00:38:49,220
and removing their influence
on the drug trade.
764
00:38:49,220 --> 00:38:53,380
Daniel Rodney Badger is of
significant interest to the AFP.
765
00:38:58,620 --> 00:39:03,580
In 2016 Badger listed this public
housing residence in Western Sydney
766
00:39:03,580 --> 00:39:03,820
In 2016 Badger listed this public
as his address.
767
00:39:03,820 --> 00:39:05,500
as his address.
768
00:39:05,500 --> 00:39:06,980
Just a year later
769
00:39:06,980 --> 00:39:07,180
he became a major shareholder
Just a year later
770
00:39:07,180 --> 00:39:09,060
he became a major shareholder
771
00:39:09,060 --> 00:39:14,100
in a multi-million-dollar Vietnamese
chemical and fertiliser company.
772
00:39:15,060 --> 00:39:17,580
The company has bonded warehouses
773
00:39:17,580 --> 00:39:21,420
and they say they export fertilisers
to Australia.
774
00:39:21,420 --> 00:39:21,660
and they say they export fertilisers
Badger sold his holdings in 2018.
775
00:39:21,660 --> 00:39:24,180
Badger sold his holdings in 2018.
776
00:39:26,700 --> 00:39:31,380
In 2020 he opened a car wholesale
business in Ho Chi Minh City.
777
00:39:32,820 --> 00:39:35,060
I'm not going
to go into individual cases,
778
00:39:35,060 --> 00:39:39,540
but what I can say
in relation to these people,
779
00:39:39,540 --> 00:39:39,780
but what I can say
these high-value targets offshore,
780
00:39:39,780 --> 00:39:42,180
these high-value targets offshore,
781
00:39:42,180 --> 00:39:46,380
we know where these people are,
we know what countries they're in,
782
00:39:46,380 --> 00:39:47,900
we know where they live,
783
00:39:47,900 --> 00:39:49,780
and we are coming after them.
784
00:39:53,540 --> 00:39:55,060
About two years ago
785
00:39:55,060 --> 00:39:58,940
it's believed Badger obtained
Cambodian citizenship.
786
00:39:59,980 --> 00:40:02,940
He also got a new Khmer name -
787
00:40:02,940 --> 00:40:05,820
Sovannarith Sen.
788
00:40:05,820 --> 00:40:07,860
We tried to contact him.
789
00:40:09,020 --> 00:40:12,180
I've got two phone numbers
for Daniel Rodney Badger
790
00:40:12,180 --> 00:40:13,980
and, uh...
I'm going to give him a ring
791
00:40:13,980 --> 00:40:16,140
and put some of these allegations
to him.
792
00:40:20,420 --> 00:40:24,660
(PHONE LINE RINGS)
793
00:40:25,820 --> 00:40:27,700
RECORDING: The subscriber
you have called
794
00:40:27,700 --> 00:40:29,940
is not available at the moment.
795
00:40:31,780 --> 00:40:35,300
(PHONE LINE RINGS)
796
00:40:35,300 --> 00:40:35,540
RECORDING: Sorry,
(PHONE LINE RINGS)
797
00:40:35,540 --> 00:40:38,100
RECORDING: Sorry,
but your call cannot be completed.
798
00:40:38,100 --> 00:40:41,380
We sent him a list of questions,
but didn't hear back.
799
00:40:45,060 --> 00:40:47,100
We asked the Cambodian government
800
00:40:47,100 --> 00:40:47,340
if they're aware of Badger's
We asked the Cambodian government
801
00:40:47,340 --> 00:40:51,260
if they're aware of Badger's
alleged activities in the meth trade
802
00:40:51,260 --> 00:40:56,620
and if, given these revelations,
his citizenship will be revoked.
803
00:41:00,140 --> 00:41:02,540
They didn't reply to our questions.
804
00:41:07,740 --> 00:41:13,060
Why can't the AFP stop the flow
of meth on the streets in Australia?
805
00:41:13,060 --> 00:41:13,820
We are having an impact.
806
00:41:13,820 --> 00:41:16,860
We're having an impact both
domestically and internationally.
807
00:41:16,860 --> 00:41:17,100
We're having an impact both
But, unfortunately,
808
00:41:17,100 --> 00:41:18,500
But, unfortunately,
809
00:41:18,500 --> 00:41:18,740
Australia still
But, unfortunately,
810
00:41:18,740 --> 00:41:21,940
Australia still
has an insatiable demand for drugs.
811
00:41:21,940 --> 00:41:23,700
International traffickers
have told us
812
00:41:23,700 --> 00:41:26,780
that the AFP
are so obsessed with seizures
813
00:41:26,780 --> 00:41:29,060
they've been exploiting it
as a weakness
814
00:41:29,060 --> 00:41:32,020
by diverting your attention
with dummy loads
815
00:41:32,020 --> 00:41:32,260
by diverting your attention
while they import tonnes elsewhere.
816
00:41:32,260 --> 00:41:34,540
while they import tonnes elsewhere.
817
00:41:34,540 --> 00:41:36,380
Seizures of drugs is important,
818
00:41:36,380 --> 00:41:36,620
preventing drugs
Seizures of drugs is important,
819
00:41:36,620 --> 00:41:40,180
preventing drugs
hitting the streets of Australia,
820
00:41:40,180 --> 00:41:40,420
preventing drugs
but our priority focus
821
00:41:40,420 --> 00:41:41,700
but our priority focus
822
00:41:41,700 --> 00:41:44,940
is on the people
that are behind these drug seizures.
823
00:41:44,940 --> 00:41:47,060
And that's what we've tried
to publicise
824
00:41:47,060 --> 00:41:50,620
in terms of the important work
that we're doing in this space.
825
00:41:50,620 --> 00:41:55,180
But, again, I think it's fair to say
we've never been more challenged.
826
00:41:55,180 --> 00:41:58,300
Organised crime
has become more globalised.
827
00:41:58,300 --> 00:41:59,860
It's become more sophisticated.
828
00:41:59,860 --> 00:42:02,260
It's become more connected.
829
00:42:02,260 --> 00:42:05,060
It's relentless. It's 24/7.
830
00:42:09,260 --> 00:42:10,820
Governments in the West
831
00:42:10,820 --> 00:42:14,100
have been fighting the flood of drugs
from the Golden Triangle
832
00:42:14,100 --> 00:42:14,340
have been fighting the flood of drugs
since the middle of the 20th century.
833
00:42:14,340 --> 00:42:16,820
since the middle of the 20th century.
834
00:42:16,820 --> 00:42:18,060
For Australia,
835
00:42:18,060 --> 00:42:22,260
the front line has now shifted
to meth coming in from North America.
836
00:42:23,300 --> 00:42:25,820
It's clear
that taking out major players
837
00:42:25,820 --> 00:42:28,540
doesn't necessarily stop the flow.
838
00:42:28,540 --> 00:42:31,100
Other markets will meet it.
839
00:42:31,100 --> 00:42:34,380
What more could
Australian authorities be doing?
840
00:42:34,380 --> 00:42:35,860
This is no longer a policing issue
841
00:42:35,860 --> 00:42:38,740
when it gets to this level
of production and trafficking.
842
00:42:38,740 --> 00:42:38,980
when it gets to this level
And I think it's one of those things
843
00:42:38,980 --> 00:42:39,900
And I think it's one of those things
844
00:42:39,900 --> 00:42:41,700
that needs to have
a public discussion.
845
00:42:41,700 --> 00:42:44,140
It requires also a response
that's political in nature.
846
00:42:44,140 --> 00:42:47,740
It can't simply be in the back rooms
and left to police alone.
847
00:42:48,940 --> 00:42:52,220
Law enforcement
is one part of the solution.
848
00:42:52,220 --> 00:42:55,220
But, again, the narrative
is incredibly important,
849
00:42:55,220 --> 00:42:57,980
particularly in relation
to harm reduction.
850
00:42:57,980 --> 00:43:02,540
It's having such a disastrous impact
on our community.
851
00:43:02,540 --> 00:43:06,540
We need to continue
to tell people about that message.
852
00:43:17,020 --> 00:43:19,060
(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)