Australia's Dangerous Epidemic: ICE | Reggie Yates’ Extreme | Free Documentary

crime authorities today warned that Australia is in the grip of an epidemic of the drug ice with a massive surge in its Supply on our streets excuse me mate can you tell me what's going on do you know um one guy got murdered and and just before that they heard a loud scream or something a man hunt is underway for a 29-year-old wanted over the murder of a and killed a resident in his apartment block detectives say the victim was killed in a brutal targeted attack what are the chances that it's drug related um very highly probably ice oh really why cuz most of the time people get murdered over ice but Australia is in the grip of an ice pandemic and of course the drug has been linked to serious violent crime so this area is dangerous for it then yeah it's highly dangerous ice is the purest and strongest form of methamphetamine its use has increased in Australia by 300% over the last 5 years it's worse than heroin it's worse than cocaine it's worse than LSD it's much more addictive much more dangerous much more damaging I think the police are about to make a statement now it's a pretty uh uh brutal attack so work working on the principal that's targeted a highly addictive drug and a deadly crime on my doorstep I woke up 90 minutes ago and this is my first morning in Melbourne and not only do I wake up to lean weather but I've woken up to this blue lights in the alleyway behind the hotel and it's a murder so why are so many a Australians addicted to ice Australia has never faced a drug like ice before you you just sit over there cheap to produce highly addictive and a gateway to chaos and broken lives that building is called gck house it's a hostel with a bad reputation but a good place to start how you doing I'm Reggie hello hello this is this is sis Gatwick house is run by twin sisters rose and AET really busy actually today is not bad sounds good sorry we very rarely have a room vacant cuz this is usually the last resort what's your name mate how long you lived here yeah 8 months how big a problem is ice very big problem maybe maybe even that's happened you know I give cute mov because Dr I'm sure because drug many residents are drug addicts binging on Ice in their rooms and then disappearing for days this is a tiny room but this is one day's mess this is one day do you don't want to be a bit more safe picking up the needles I think that I'm getting used to as well is that a regular occurrence for you needles yeah yeah how bad a problem is ice here ice is such an epidemic you use the word epidemic is that justified when it comes to ice or I think so yeah is that an exaggeration no no I think it's an epidemic have you noticed a change in this business at always as as a popularity of it has gone up yeah people argue a lot more then becoming much more violent than they ever were before which makes it harder ice can cause violence and psychosis a new high at the sharp end of drug use whether snorted smoked or injected oh my God [Music] drugs hold a bit of a strange place in my memory and my upbringing really I was a kid that never really did anything and never got involved in anything I say never really did I've never done anything I'm not even smoking a cigarette in me life let alone taking a drug so you know I've never looked down on anybody who uses but I've struggled to understand it a quiet suburb of Melbourne the last place you might expect to find an ice addict I didn't actually have any expectations as to where I'd be turning up to but I am a little surprised that you know satav has brought me to manicured Lawns and really pretty little houses and quiet streets H you doing Reggie sh nice to meet you shie homeless for 3 months 23-year-old shaie staying with her aunt Sheree the night before going into rehab when did you actually start taking drugs 14 14 but it was fun then it's not now with ice you know I started to use it you know quite frequently how much were you taking at one point I would have been High pretty much 20 hours out of of 24 I reckon in front of me I see a well-kept well spoken articulate young lady just looking at you there are no giveaways I was a very heavy user and still people couldn't tell I could hide it very well so what's got you to the point of knowing that rehab is where you need to be um I have two babies who were 3 years old I became homeless I had to give my children to my auntie to take care of and now I just want my family back youve clearly been a a rock for shaie here um but Sha's not actually mentioned Mom or Dad well shaie and her mom don't talk anymore and shie wasn't raised by her dad unfortunately me and my mom have had a pretty rocky relationship since I was young I grew up in a house where there was addiction too so I believe that's you know part to blame as well what kind of addiction a drug addiction and alcohol that taught me that if I take this um I won't feel anything Sha's addiction has made it difficult to cope with her sons so Sheree has been looking after them both but shaie wants them back I don't believe I would be here if it wasn't for my kids I wouldn't be here I would have tried to kill myself or I would have killed myself by now you already tried once when it wasn't all that long ago a month ago cuz I was homeless and I hadn't seen my kids in so long and seeing them and having to say goodbye to them and knowing that I can't you know I'm not the one to put him to bed and I'm not the one to you know provide for him and I just didn't want to do it anymore it's hard yeah it's very hard what do you want for your nie to get better I don't want to have to raise her boys I love them but I want her to raise them do you want to take 10 minutes I just want to sit outside and just get some fresh air how you doing I'm rid how you Sha's friend Dylan has come to wish her good luck hello no stranger to ice he moved out of Melbourne to get away from the drug and it's a fix shy had like a schizophrenic episode in front of me I just sort of woke up when that happen you it really scared me and I said you need to stop or you going to lose your mind and need to stop ice yeah everything pretty much listen this might sound like an incredibly strange request but I'm really interested to see where you might have bought ice from and where you might have done it I can probably show you like places we would use there are dealers there are dealers that live along this road yeah apparently allegedly that's crazy to me cuz this just looks like the road that your aunt lives on do the residents try and shut down the properties or call the police on them locals are similarly minded you know what I mean supply and demand that they're going to be where the biggest demand is is the highest concentration just want one of these driveways really just pull into one of [Music] these on your last night before you actually skipped town and moved away yeah did you have that one last hit yeah how about you shaie this is your last night before you actually go in to rehab do you think you'll smoke tonight I have um an ice pipe on me I would smoke with shy if she's going to do it and go away tomorrow and I'm going to do it and go away tomorrow that's Justified enough in my head already now I don't understand addiction I've never taking the drug that you're talking about but it seems like tonight would be a bad time to take this drug am I completely wrong I understand that you don't understand but you have to understand that you can't understand can I see the PIP there's some brown stuff in there is that is that it yeah so what do you think when you look at this then ashamed that that's my addiction why is it shame why is that the feeling I've ruin my whole family with that [Music] I really did struggle to understand why Dylan or sha would be tempted to use tonight it just feels like the worst way to start a journey to [Music] recovery at this stage I'm not sure if I will ever truly understand addiction because to understand Addiction on some level you have to have had some sort of experience I just really hope that she doesn't use to m not everyone addicted to ice has a family to support them yeah can you come see if I can find you some shoes what happened to your shoes um gave him way why'd you do that didn't need him why are you so happy this my home how long have you lived here um a while ago yeah yeah where you on now fil with eyes yeah do you work at the moment this is my work I bu around did you not have a job before yeah just used to yeah what did you used to do cook I used to cook and how comes you ended up um stopping work neither change and what did you change from from being a cook too uh a professional bum thank you thank you sis can you show me your room L can I see where you stay I live like live do your parents know where you are now I don't know parents do you mean you they passed away what happened to your folks I just don't have folks so yeah you you don't have a relationship with them yeah you say that relationship with that have parents yeah when was the last time you had eyes I went I went my today did you did you inject here yeah in oh I see there's your needles there how long do you think you'll stay awake for 3 4 days a week a week yeah so what does it feel like when you take ice when you wake it up you feel the the the rush like the the the DI in your head releases and you do that for like probably half an hour or so then the ice just like speed just takes you long with that yeah how much do you spend on it whatever I got really yeah do you regret trying it or starting no why I regret I love it too much um yeah it's a special drug do you want M refer to it as a friend yes it is my girlfriend one of my girlfriends uhh and how does your girlfriend treat you oh very well yes very well uhhuh all right nice to meet you lamb thank you how can you go from being someone with a career and someone with um a life to to that I just don't know how that happens I've got a few things to tell you for I British Backpacker Scotty has been staying at Gatwick house for a month Isis is huge and it's everywhere I've watched many people from people who are poor in the slums to people who have um intern multinational jobs try it once and not be able to put the PIP there do you really believe that one hit is all that it takes to Beed I've seen it the results are often unpredictable and sometimes [Applause] violent hoodie was stabbed in a fight over drugs he said with a P long Pur scissors in the arm that's why the arm's L up and in the back I yeah sweet I appreciate so are you playing us to your friend at the moment when I was younger I was a surf Lifesaver and Aussie and you know I do rescue diving and stuff so have basic first aid training you mind if I I want with you yeah yeah yeah yeah we'll give a quick wash with some soap and water now the G the water in the Gap is amazing really hot how long you been using ice for I was using inamin Before ice was in Australia has strict border controls it's also far away from the main Cent centers of heroin and cocaine production ice has filled the vacuum it's quick to make you know I've SE made in the backyard in under 10 minutes do you think that's part of the problem that it's so easy to make no the part of the problem is the addiction to it it's so high and rapid and yeah before before you know it you've had one hit drink SN it doesn't matter how you take you stick it up your ass you're still taking it do you I have all my life yeah before you P out yeah so you guys were about to use yeah if the cops come I'll smash them on camera do that when was the last time they raided and what did they what did they get they were looking for okay this is ice so where where would you buy something like ice from then friends associ I've been bought drugs and sold drugs to police officer UPS drugs that solicitors judges kickboxers [ __ ] the r the mill [ __ ] Joe your mom your sister I [ __ ] I don't like it manate I'd hate to think my kids were ever um subject to it you know um if I ever found any of my kids if I anyone sold my kids anything I'd take a pumpy pump action and shoot them in the head Point Blank thank you very much for it's my pleasure my darling I'm a medic let me help [Music] you I actually don't quite know what to say of the back of seeing Jasmine use you know the first thing that she said after she finished using was that she hates it and she doesn't want her kids to know that she does it I'm pretty sure a lot of people feel the same way about the drug because so many people are using [Music] it it's ripping this flipping country apart [Music] [Music] Ser it's really weird I feel like I'm suddenly in La l this place looks like some of the most expensive streets in Beverly Hills I mean look at this place look at that it's where the fresh prins grew up wasn't it another Melbourne suburb and home to another young Australian a former business executive caught in the grip of ice Reggie nice to meet you look at this place you right in the middle of a referb show 4 years doing this yeah four years is a long time to renovate a place four years is a long time to be living through this what are these uh what these medals for they're all Australian medals 28-year-old Brett was not just a successful businessman he also represented his country as a triathlete that was 2009 World titles wa oh my God is that you that was me on yeah at my drug wst okay this looks like a completely different person so how do you go from the podium to this I got caught up with ice how was Ice has actually introduced to you A friend of mine in the corporate world yeah okay so we're a lot of people in business using yeah 100% I know with I walk through a room of 100 people I know 100% there's at least 15 of them that have either been on it touched it been involved with it you can reply to more emails you get more deals done I use this as a tool a tool that took my entire life away you know we talk back of you looking at me um at the world titles I had never touched a drug in my entire life in fact I was really critical of people with addictions so were you still using now um the last time I used probably 3 weeks ago part of the closure for this will be closing the chapter on this house this is the place where I resorted to drugs and so that will always remind me of that the problem is I struggle to get up I have no motivation and that drug would get me up and I'd get a bit of work done on the house and I'd do some things and and that's where I'm at I might have kicked the day-to-day habit but I'm not free of that drug I do not have control of the addiction I know I [Music] [Music] don't where the hell are you buying that kind of drug in an area like this I mean are you buying it here or are you traveling out for for hours to try and find it somewhere else mate this drug does not discriminate I could buy it here I could buy it suburb next door or we could travel to areas that are not nice places and buy it it does not discriminate what Brett's told me today scared me because at the age of 23 24 he and I were no different he did a hell of a lot for himself at quite a young age and he hadn't touched drugs up until that point and then he made a decision and the rest of his life has gone in a completely different direction the number of regular ice users in Melbourne has doubled in the past year there are now 80,000 addicts across the state of Victoria hey dude you're right I'm okay I guess it's rehab day last night when I left you felt like there was a good chance that you might have you might have used to again come straight home so why didn't you fall into the Trap of of using again last night it defeats the purpose of why I'm doing this doesn't really yeah separated from her kids for 90 days Sha's having second thoughts oh my God Sheree how long we got before we have to leave I don't want to to go to rehab right now it's Needy Time to Go isn't it why the [ __ ] you still on listening to me I said I don't want to [ __ ] go you're going like I'm not ready to [ __ ] go like right now what I don't want this to be filmed I'm in a [ __ ] mood she's changed mind back going if she doesn't go never vict again so you don't mean that D no I can't be friends with people like that take away from like that I'm going to get a [ __ ] ice cppe and no one's going to stop me from doing that I'm not [ __ ] in rehab right now listen so last night was the reason that the uh using didn't happen well it did but would really like that not be just you just what was in Pard just what was left in the thing did you have it with a [Music] CH I don't want to cry all right makeup oh my God no no no remind me of you okay no that's really pretty though yeah beautiful [Music] I don't know how I feel I'm [ __ ] really feel sick I feel like I just want to get out of the car and the stop all right come let's get some a you take as long as you need you [Music] ready it's okay sh this is it the reality of rehab 3 months away no family and no drugs [ __ ] sake steadily Sha's crutch is falling away one by one first it was Dylan this morning and then it was the pipe next it will be her family it's going to get very difficult and very real quite quickly I think she she in the car not coming out what she wants to go home mhm I'm I'm almost inclined to say let's just leave her mhm and um I'm sure they'll know how to manage this better than we ever could do you want to head inside oh you want to go to the car right yep I don't know what to do I think we should head inside all right I just want to be with her and I just want to stay but I know it can't yeah she's where she's supposed to be yeah I know I know I'm just being selfish no you're not you're just doing what you've always done in that is trying to be there for a long she's getting go [Music] around F come on let go and say hello to the community done amazing today all right the longer you stay here the wor it's going to be for you [Music] [Applause] should my first psychosis I was in the shower and I I seen this big scary like demon I kept on looking it was coming closer and had Claws and all man and I [ __ ] ran out the bathroom screaming no clothes on and then obviously after seeing that I'm like I'm obviously in some sort of psychosis you know what you're describing is um you know about 60% of people who use ice develop some sort of psychotic experience Ice is very bad for your brain like it's actually toxic for your brain people can develop a permanent psychosis I've been told every time but I still do it yeah I know I know I understand of course you do yeah because it doesn't matter what people tell us even though you know we can have a psychosis or you've got children that you love that's not enough to stop using drugs no it's not as someone who's never taken a drug let alone been addicted to anything um I really am struggling to understand addiction what I'm thinking as I listen to you ask that question Reggie is about trying to think about being in love with someone who's really no good for you but you love them you love them and every time they hold you it's beautiful you feel safe and you feel fantastic and you feel you know different drugs will have different effects a heroin addict is just going feel warm and safe and relaxed whereas an ice addict might feel euphoric but whatever the drug it gives the individual that feeling of fulfillment but when we've been hurt when we're very young where our capacity to experience love or to trust people in our lives is broken then you know a drug can be very reliable [Applause] please the police swooped in early morning raids detectives say they've dismantled a major organized drug Syndicate The Syndicate was responsible for flooding the area with ice more ice is on the streets of Melbourne than ever before over the past four years driving under the influence of drugs has caused more fatalities than alcohol have you done a drug test before no no and we're testing for meth means the state government of Victoria are spending $17 million on testing 100,000 drivers this year you're deciding to flag down right yes uh based on what generally the cars not well maintained but in saying that you're still getting business people is's a lot out there that you just don't quite realize one in every 17 drivers randomly stopped the testing positive for ice random drug testing tonight swipe these bits just down your tongue a couple of times yep one more time perfect your oral fluid contains a prescribed illicit drug I now require you to accompany me to the testing vehicle which is the bus over there the police have found traces of ice in his system he'll lose his license and faces a fine of up to £1,500 it's hard to tell whether that helicopter is news or police but it's definitely over gav cson staying in the area as well what' you say buddy I could be completely wrong but it feels like the um the uh the mood in here completely changed the police have arrived they're looking for the murder suspect the uh police have just come in with a news team um do you know what Happ news team yeah I'll have to go and check okay right reportedly last seen in the building on the run for 3 days now police here this floor on the wall got aent something yeah we're from the UK oh M I think they might be putting him in the [Music] car I've definitely got [Music] him I can't believe there literally an ax in this building the suspect is an ice addict with a history of drug rated [Music] charges just a few miles and a world away from Gatwick house Brett has decided to check into rehab in the city of jalong last time I was in jalong I was racing the Australian titles really yeah I was happy I was I was I was in a really good place last last time I was coming out here to race in 3 months time you might be the happiest you've ever been I hope so I will not bring any drugs or paraphernalia onto the premises nor will I be under the influence of any narcotic to permit a search of all belongings prior to entry and upon any re-entry so this is the Contraband I pulled out so it's things like iPad your hard drive and no cologne no cologne yeah alcohol content W yeah I will comply with medical exams as required I would adhere to all curfew lights out all right this is you man how often do you find people withdraw just to their rooms quite often but the guys will try to pull you out cuz it's all about the Therapeutic Community and talking to each other it is my responsibility to attend all counseling sessions and the comply with all aspects of the program what your poison I ice yeah like most of us I think yeah that of Interest Who who's come here because of ice it's a lot of you what is it about ice that has affected so many of you it just it really takes you like everyone has different stories yeah but it all comes down to like the same thing like we just want to get out of ourselves if we feel uncomfortable with anxiety or depression we just we don't want to feel these feelings and is that why ice is such a popular drug do you think because it nullifies your emotions yeah it just pushes all those emotions and feelings to the back of your head but then once you actually become clean they they come rushing forward twice as hard ice took a lot from me a devil man like I lose my conscience you know and I do things I wouldn't do normally man when you're nice yeah like I would have psychotic rages like I I suffer from us for a lot of years and it w till the end I got into sosis 3 weeks before I come here I started hearing voices and you're like but I knew it was because of the drugs are you prepared to deal with some of your deepest in darkest um to uncover what it is that you've been running from are you ready to do that I don't know what I'm ready for at the minute I really don't know nice to meet nice to meet you too pleasure appreciate it thank you a standard treatment is 3 months detox for the first 10 days before therapy and counseling begins deny is often the biggest problem you're clearly trying to find the right way to deal with this all these guys are here just purely to have gotten off the drug and I've gotten off the drug myself that part of it out of the way so maybe I'm already at my 90 days and like a bit of that's going through my head do you think you shouldn't be here no I don't I I know I need to be here in the sense to what my problem was I'm just hesitant in why would you describe it as past tense I'm not [Music] sure I'm leaving Brett on his first night and I'm honestly a bit concerned about him because was pretty much decided that he doesn't need to be there to the extent of some of these other men and 90 days is a hell of a long time when you're sure that you shouldn't be there for for 10 for a week I just don't know if he's going to [Music] last it's been a week and Sha's detox is almost over how you doing sh I'm good how are you one of these right hello good how's new girl getting on missing her babies of course yeah but she's doing real well well the first week is always about detox right how you felt coming off of what you took before you came in I slept through it so I didn't really feel um coming off it but for the first time I feel like a weight lift off my shoulders cuz I'm not looking for my next hit and I'm starting to now feel that missing piece of me which is my children which I didn't feel because I numbed that with using I and I'm starting to feel guilty I grew up with addiction and I feel as if I was doing exactly what you know I grew up with it's everything I'm against then where does that leave you when you think about um Shireen because she's tried so hard to help you and um she's done everything that she can to help you and it was really difficult to see her leave and you know she just had to walk away how how do you feel about your relationship with her without my auntie I wouldn't be here and and my children would be suffering just like I suffered as a child that's all I aspire to be in life is half the mother she is she is the best person I will ever meet wow I'm sure she'd love to hear you say that do you know that Reggie has never had a cigarette he's never tried a drug he's never had a drink never done any of that that is awesome you it's weird but it's cool you temped well no because I I've always felt that it's a choice I genuinely came to to the table believing that that you know you can say yes or no and that's it but in in talking to lots of different people it feels as though trauma plays a huge part that's a massive part of our recovery it's getting down to those core reasons why we disagree I don't disagree I agree but my problem was I was a party animal I didn't have trauma I just loved to have fun so I definitely agree but I think 80% is something that has shaped somebody's life in some way but then I think 20% is a stupid Choice where's your room uh my room's down here this is what Dylan gave me before I come in nice so I sleep with it every night you're doing really well believe it or not you've been a motivation I've never met anybody that's never used anything before and um you should be really proud of yourself you should be proud of [Music] yourself some people might say I'm a control free because I live my life a certain way and because I like things done a certain way and you know my house is always a certain way blah blah blah blah blah no me not wanting to take drugs isn't about me being scared of losing control it's actually about something very different I started in television when I was 8 years old so before I was even in second school I was being told by my mother that I have more to lose than my mates so you know I didn't want it to become the thing that prevented me from my dream which 25 years later is this so I've always always had that niggling voice in the back of my head and I'm really happy I've had it ice related crimes have doubled in Melbourne in the past year many committed by Young addicts who have lost control of their lives so has there been a change then in what you've seen on the streets since I became such a popular drug we've seen an increase with the um I suppose a crime I shed with that and sometimes violent crime because of the way the drug makes them behave or because they want to fun their haveit just don't know what you're going to get just 5 minutes into another shift with the police and a call comes in it appears as though the vehicle is listed as being stolen whether it is stolen or not we'll find out which car is it is it the white one yeah that's in there I'll just get you the hang inv in the car for a minute I'll give you an odd if you can come out off buddy now all you you just sit over there [Applause] me no way that's that's lamb from G we car so just sit there so what brings you to this area um going for a drive go for a drive yeah who does this car belong to do you one of these guys which I don't know okay cuz this car's coming up like you know one stolen vehicle love you guys you using at the moment yeah what are you using I marijuana you're working at the moment no no so where are you getting your money from friends you're not running around stealing stuff to finance your drug Hab no no no stand up for us and we'll have a quick search you got no Sharps on you no why you so JY you're shaking am I yeah your arms are uncontrolled what are you so nervous about no come and grab a seat you're in the gutter for us yeah hey how you doing I didn't think I'd see you again here in this situation yeah so how do you know these guys um friends from the gwick do you think that the gwick is the the right place for you considering that your friends have yeah brought you here very family or orientated there pretty much it everyone's pretty much family like to meet it you still seem just as happy as you were yeah you always much happy yeah why is that maybe I love life okay look after you all right nicey take care see you buddy [Music] fuucking how did you meet up with these [Music] guys all these power tools indicates say the burglaries or yeah um and how often are you seeing this then isolated crime every day like every day DRS will Ste support their so it's a they're all going to jail now cuz that car's stolen and it seems like crimes are being committed because of this drug well doesn't seem like it's it's a fact that's what's happening it's my last day in Melbourne so is Brett still in rehab um there seems to be quite a few empty rooms at the minute hello hello I actually being really honest didn't think I'd find you here today really yeah really you seem pretty much adamant that this wasn't where you needed to be yeah has that changed now yeah you know a big part of coming in here as we spoke about was finding out what I was running away from um do you feel closer to that now 100% yeah I'm sorry I'm interested what do you think it is that you've discovered in just the three days everything in life i' just been trying to ACH nothing was enough it didn't matter what race it didn't matter what achievement nothing was enough why is that insecurity within me to have not why was it never quite enough I mean it's amazing that you feel as strongly as you do after 3 days cuz it is really the beginning of your journey all right guys take care stay to the end please yeah I [Music] will hello hello hello how you doing I'm good you look lovely what you up to I'm doing some coloring in I'm getting in touch with my creative side yeah it looks quite therapeutic though it is because you about nothing you're thinking about what color you're going to use next my auntie's coming sh's coming so I'm really excited yeah yeah that's good it's visiting day for shaie in nine days for you to turn around this much really makes me excited about what might happen go on [Music] hello I'm going so well I'm doing so well how happy she is I've never ever heard her say a bad word against I don't think there's anything bad to say about that woman just that she's the best I can't wait for you to meet her oh my God it's like someone just said Christmas morning when they saw you you doing good thanks good yes this is my beautiful auntie hello well done thank you so much for everything done come on now well done you smell so good have a man problem it's been a pleasure right stay in touch Bye by [Music] bye [Music] I've heard addiction doesn't discriminate but to actually see people like Brett like shaie right the way through to the um the guys at gwick house all suffering from addiction to the same drug I don't know it opens up the idea that this drug or addiction full stop can land in anybody's lap [Music] [Music]

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Length: 48min 37sec (2917 seconds)

Published: Fri Oct 13 2023