'Organised criminal networks': drug war continues as ice, cocaine use spike

Tony Trimingham with a picture of his son Damien, who died of a drug overdose at age 22. Picture supplied

Wastewater drug monitoring shows methylamphetamine use in regional areas including the Hunter hit the highest levels since the pandemic, a national crime report says.

The drug, known as ice in crystalline form or speed in powder form, rose by about 46 per cent in regional areas in a year for doses per 1000 people each day.