The Australian Institute of Criminology has released a new Statistical Report on the costs of serious and organised crime in Australia.
- Serious and organised crime was estimated to cost Australia between $35.5b and $82.3b in 2023-24. The upper estimate for 2023-24 represents 3.2 percent of Australia’s gross domestic product.
- This estimate includes the direct and consequential costs of serious and organised crime in Australia (up to $58.9b) and the indirect costs of preventing and responding to serious and organised crime incurred by government entities, businesses and individuals (up to $23.4b).
- Illicit drugs were the most costly crime type, accounting for 39.5 percent ($19.0b) of the direct costs attributable to serious and organised crime, followed by organised financial crime (27.6%, $13.2b) and other illicit commodities (18.0%, $8.6b). The most costly illicit commodity after drugs was illicit tobacco, which cost Australia $4.0b in 2023-24, a significant increase on previous years.
These figures represent the substantial and pervasive economic impact of serious and organised crime on Australia.
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