Latest news with #ACIC
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
How a drug that's killed dozens of Australians is bypassing border control
A deadly substance a thousand times stronger than heroin is bypassing customs, experts warn. Nitazenes are dangerous synthetic opioids that carry a high risk of overdose, even in very small amounts. At least 17 Australians have died from nitazenes since 2021. The dangerous compound is being found in fake sleeping, anti-anxiety and pain medication pills. It is also being used in drugs like cocaine, MDMA and heroin. But these potentially fatal drugs are evading border control, Australian Crime Intelligence Commission's (ACIC) Shane Neilson said. Nitazenes are so strong that only a fraction of a gram can be lethal. This makes it easy to send them through the mail in parcels, and hard for border control to detect. "The traditional serious and organised crime groups do not play a significant role, as the less sophisticated groups are bringing the drugs into the country," Mr Neilson said. The Australian Federal Police said they intercepted eight nitazene imports at the Australian border between January 2024 and March 2025, with parcels coming from Canada, the US and Hong Kong. Nitazenes are being mixed into drugs sold online and marketed as opiates and benzodiazepines. Opiates provide pain relief, used legally as drugs like morphine, endone and tramadol. Benzodiazepines, also known as benzos, can reduce anxiety and aid sleep. Examples include Xanax and Valium. Nitazenes have also been found in party drugs like MDMA (also known as ecstasy) and GHB. "They've been identified in vape liquids, they're in tablet forms, powders, nasal sprays," ACIC's Amber Migus said. They are easy to order from manufacturers off the internet and being so potent, a small amount can be ordered and added to a large quantity of drugs. About three Australians die every day from an opioid-related overdose. Opiates are behind most unintentional drug deaths, followed by benzodiazepines. The number of drug-induced deaths related to benzos doubled in the 20 years to 2022. They are both addictive and people can develop a dependency on pharmaceutical drugs after being prescribed for legitimate reasons. More people die from unintentional drug overdose than from road accidents, according to the Penington Institute. Why would a drug dealer add such a dangerous compound like nitazenes to their supply, risking killing their customers? "Drug dealers are very cynical people," Mr Neilson said. He said evidence from the United States' opioid crisis suggests dealers might be adding nitazene to their gear to create more loyal customers. Drug users are more dependent on the original drug, become addicted to the nitazene, and eventually dealers can sell the nitazene directly. Australia's strict prescribing rules may be why we do not have an opioid crisis like the US, Ms Migus said. "It means that prevention and preventative actions can work in relation to illicit drug markets," she said. "And we're always going to be watchful in relation to synthetic opioids because potentially they're so dangerous." While nitazenes are a growing concern for health and crime authorities, a 2021 federal government report said 70 per cent of fatal opioid overdoses in Australia involved prescribed drugs. Health authorities encourage anyone taking an opiate legally or illegally to carry naxolone. In both nasal spray and injectable form, it reverses the effect of an opioid. A deadly substance a thousand times stronger than heroin is bypassing customs, experts warn. Nitazenes are dangerous synthetic opioids that carry a high risk of overdose, even in very small amounts. At least 17 Australians have died from nitazenes since 2021. The dangerous compound is being found in fake sleeping, anti-anxiety and pain medication pills. It is also being used in drugs like cocaine, MDMA and heroin. But these potentially fatal drugs are evading border control, Australian Crime Intelligence Commission's (ACIC) Shane Neilson said. Nitazenes are so strong that only a fraction of a gram can be lethal. This makes it easy to send them through the mail in parcels, and hard for border control to detect. "The traditional serious and organised crime groups do not play a significant role, as the less sophisticated groups are bringing the drugs into the country," Mr Neilson said. The Australian Federal Police said they intercepted eight nitazene imports at the Australian border between January 2024 and March 2025, with parcels coming from Canada, the US and Hong Kong. Nitazenes are being mixed into drugs sold online and marketed as opiates and benzodiazepines. Opiates provide pain relief, used legally as drugs like morphine, endone and tramadol. Benzodiazepines, also known as benzos, can reduce anxiety and aid sleep. Examples include Xanax and Valium. Nitazenes have also been found in party drugs like MDMA (also known as ecstasy) and GHB. "They've been identified in vape liquids, they're in tablet forms, powders, nasal sprays," ACIC's Amber Migus said. They are easy to order from manufacturers off the internet and being so potent, a small amount can be ordered and added to a large quantity of drugs. About three Australians die every day from an opioid-related overdose. Opiates are behind most unintentional drug deaths, followed by benzodiazepines. The number of drug-induced deaths related to benzos doubled in the 20 years to 2022. They are both addictive and people can develop a dependency on pharmaceutical drugs after being prescribed for legitimate reasons. More people die from unintentional drug overdose than from road accidents, according to the Penington Institute. Why would a drug dealer add such a dangerous compound like nitazenes to their supply, risking killing their customers? "Drug dealers are very cynical people," Mr Neilson said. He said evidence from the United States' opioid crisis suggests dealers might be adding nitazene to their gear to create more loyal customers. Drug users are more dependent on the original drug, become addicted to the nitazene, and eventually dealers can sell the nitazene directly. Australia's strict prescribing rules may be why we do not have an opioid crisis like the US, Ms Migus said. "It means that prevention and preventative actions can work in relation to illicit drug markets," she said. "And we're always going to be watchful in relation to synthetic opioids because potentially they're so dangerous." While nitazenes are a growing concern for health and crime authorities, a 2021 federal government report said 70 per cent of fatal opioid overdoses in Australia involved prescribed drugs. Health authorities encourage anyone taking an opiate legally or illegally to carry naxolone. In both nasal spray and injectable form, it reverses the effect of an opioid. A deadly substance a thousand times stronger than heroin is bypassing customs, experts warn. Nitazenes are dangerous synthetic opioids that carry a high risk of overdose, even in very small amounts. At least 17 Australians have died from nitazenes since 2021. The dangerous compound is being found in fake sleeping, anti-anxiety and pain medication pills. It is also being used in drugs like cocaine, MDMA and heroin. But these potentially fatal drugs are evading border control, Australian Crime Intelligence Commission's (ACIC) Shane Neilson said. Nitazenes are so strong that only a fraction of a gram can be lethal. This makes it easy to send them through the mail in parcels, and hard for border control to detect. "The traditional serious and organised crime groups do not play a significant role, as the less sophisticated groups are bringing the drugs into the country," Mr Neilson said. The Australian Federal Police said they intercepted eight nitazene imports at the Australian border between January 2024 and March 2025, with parcels coming from Canada, the US and Hong Kong. Nitazenes are being mixed into drugs sold online and marketed as opiates and benzodiazepines. Opiates provide pain relief, used legally as drugs like morphine, endone and tramadol. Benzodiazepines, also known as benzos, can reduce anxiety and aid sleep. Examples include Xanax and Valium. Nitazenes have also been found in party drugs like MDMA (also known as ecstasy) and GHB. "They've been identified in vape liquids, they're in tablet forms, powders, nasal sprays," ACIC's Amber Migus said. They are easy to order from manufacturers off the internet and being so potent, a small amount can be ordered and added to a large quantity of drugs. About three Australians die every day from an opioid-related overdose. Opiates are behind most unintentional drug deaths, followed by benzodiazepines. The number of drug-induced deaths related to benzos doubled in the 20 years to 2022. They are both addictive and people can develop a dependency on pharmaceutical drugs after being prescribed for legitimate reasons. More people die from unintentional drug overdose than from road accidents, according to the Penington Institute. Why would a drug dealer add such a dangerous compound like nitazenes to their supply, risking killing their customers? "Drug dealers are very cynical people," Mr Neilson said. He said evidence from the United States' opioid crisis suggests dealers might be adding nitazene to their gear to create more loyal customers. Drug users are more dependent on the original drug, become addicted to the nitazene, and eventually dealers can sell the nitazene directly. Australia's strict prescribing rules may be why we do not have an opioid crisis like the US, Ms Migus said. "It means that prevention and preventative actions can work in relation to illicit drug markets," she said. "And we're always going to be watchful in relation to synthetic opioids because potentially they're so dangerous." While nitazenes are a growing concern for health and crime authorities, a 2021 federal government report said 70 per cent of fatal opioid overdoses in Australia involved prescribed drugs. Health authorities encourage anyone taking an opiate legally or illegally to carry naxolone. In both nasal spray and injectable form, it reverses the effect of an opioid. A deadly substance a thousand times stronger than heroin is bypassing customs, experts warn. Nitazenes are dangerous synthetic opioids that carry a high risk of overdose, even in very small amounts. At least 17 Australians have died from nitazenes since 2021. The dangerous compound is being found in fake sleeping, anti-anxiety and pain medication pills. It is also being used in drugs like cocaine, MDMA and heroin. But these potentially fatal drugs are evading border control, Australian Crime Intelligence Commission's (ACIC) Shane Neilson said. Nitazenes are so strong that only a fraction of a gram can be lethal. This makes it easy to send them through the mail in parcels, and hard for border control to detect. "The traditional serious and organised crime groups do not play a significant role, as the less sophisticated groups are bringing the drugs into the country," Mr Neilson said. The Australian Federal Police said they intercepted eight nitazene imports at the Australian border between January 2024 and March 2025, with parcels coming from Canada, the US and Hong Kong. Nitazenes are being mixed into drugs sold online and marketed as opiates and benzodiazepines. Opiates provide pain relief, used legally as drugs like morphine, endone and tramadol. Benzodiazepines, also known as benzos, can reduce anxiety and aid sleep. Examples include Xanax and Valium. Nitazenes have also been found in party drugs like MDMA (also known as ecstasy) and GHB. "They've been identified in vape liquids, they're in tablet forms, powders, nasal sprays," ACIC's Amber Migus said. They are easy to order from manufacturers off the internet and being so potent, a small amount can be ordered and added to a large quantity of drugs. About three Australians die every day from an opioid-related overdose. Opiates are behind most unintentional drug deaths, followed by benzodiazepines. The number of drug-induced deaths related to benzos doubled in the 20 years to 2022. They are both addictive and people can develop a dependency on pharmaceutical drugs after being prescribed for legitimate reasons. More people die from unintentional drug overdose than from road accidents, according to the Penington Institute. Why would a drug dealer add such a dangerous compound like nitazenes to their supply, risking killing their customers? "Drug dealers are very cynical people," Mr Neilson said. He said evidence from the United States' opioid crisis suggests dealers might be adding nitazene to their gear to create more loyal customers. Drug users are more dependent on the original drug, become addicted to the nitazene, and eventually dealers can sell the nitazene directly. Australia's strict prescribing rules may be why we do not have an opioid crisis like the US, Ms Migus said. "It means that prevention and preventative actions can work in relation to illicit drug markets," she said. "And we're always going to be watchful in relation to synthetic opioids because potentially they're so dangerous." While nitazenes are a growing concern for health and crime authorities, a 2021 federal government report said 70 per cent of fatal opioid overdoses in Australia involved prescribed drugs. Health authorities encourage anyone taking an opiate legally or illegally to carry naxolone. In both nasal spray and injectable form, it reverses the effect of an opioid.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC) on Miroslav Štěpánek's Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on ACIC. American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC)'s share was trading at $11.75 as of 4th June. ACIC's trailing P/E was 7.99 according to Yahoo Finance. An insurance agent at their desk consulting a customer about property & casualty insurance. American Coastal is a Florida-based property insurer that stands out in a typically commoditized industry due to its strategic niche, disciplined underwriting, and exposure to a high-premium market shaped by hurricane risk. Despite operating in a state where insurers have frequently gone bankrupt due to underpricing and fraud, American Coastal has maintained resilience through selective client screening and rigorous risk assessment, especially in its focus on residential-commercial properties with gardens. The company's 2022 combined ratio of 86.5%—even after Hurricane Ian—demonstrated its superior underwriting discipline. Trading at a 2024 P/E of 6.9 and boasting a high-teens free cash flow yield, the stock appears significantly undervalued. The company is now well-capitalized post-separation from UPC, with founder Daniel Peed still on the board despite stepping down as CEO. American Coastal is actively returning capital to shareholders via dividends and opportunistic buybacks and has initiated a $0.50/share dividend, reflecting confidence in its financial health. While core insurance operations are mature, modest organic growth is expected from Florida's demographic shifts, and a new MGU business could generate $20 million in annual profits over time. The hurricane risk remains real, but even recent storms like Helene and Milton only caused a modest financial impact, and major hurricanes may sustain high pricing. Investor sentiment remains cautious due to lingering concerns from its UPC past and weather-driven volatility, but those willing to look past episodic turbulence may find compelling upside. A conservative valuation model suggests potential returns of 2–3x over the next few years, making American Coastal a high-yield, asymmetric value play in a misunderstood niche. Previously, we covered a on RLI Corp. (RLI) by Serhio MaxDividends on Substack, operating within the same industry as ACIC, praising its 50-year dividend growth streak, robust underwriting, and strong balance sheet despite a dip in Q1 earnings. Miroslav Štěpánek's thesis on American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC) offers a more contrarian angle, spotlighting a Florida-focused insurer with disciplined underwriting and a high cash flow yield. While RLI offers stability and long-term compounding, ACIC presents an asymmetric value bet with 2–3x upside potential for those willing to brave weather-driven volatility. American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC) is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 20 hedge fund portfolios held ACIC at the end of the first quarter which was 18 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of ACIC as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.
ABC News
12-05-2025
- ABC News
High Court to decide if information gathered on encrypted messaging app AN0M was legally obtained
The High Court will on Tuesday delve into the murky world of organised crime and encrypted messaging on an app known as AN0M, which was secretly controlled by the FBI and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). The operation known as "Ironside" began in 2018, when phones with the app began to circulate among criminal elements, encouraged by people the police identified as "criminal influencers", who unwittingly recommended the devices. It appeared to be a secure way to send messages, except that every communication was being copied and forwarded to police. In 2021 there was a worldwide crackdown. The app had collected about 28 million messages, including 19 million relating to Australia. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) said there were nearly 1,000 arrests globally, with 42 tonnes of illicit drugs and $US58 million in cash and crypto currency seized. According to AFP data, there have been nearly 100 people in Australia charged, with drugs, firearms, and substantial amounts of money seized. The ACIC said at the time the operation "provided voluminous, invaluable intelligence and insight that has never been obtained before by Australian law enforcement". But now two South Australian men, who are alleged members of the Comancheros bikie group, want the High Court to find that information was not legally obtained. The two are charged with belonging to a criminal group and possession of prohibited firearms. Their lawyers will tell the High Court the evidence against them collected from AN0M should be inadmissible in their trial, because its collection breached The Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979. "The question is whether communications obtained covertly by the AN0M application were obtained as the result of an unlawful interception," their submissions to the court said. The pair have so far failed in two appeals against the use of the information, but were granted special leave to appeal by the High Court last year. Soon afterwards the case took a new turn when the Commonwealth changed the law, to back up the use of the app by police. On Tuesday the High Court will also consider if the new law is valid. In their submissions the men's lawyers said it interferes with the exercise of judicial power guaranteed under the constitution. "It is an invalid exercise of legislative power," submissions for the men said. The lawyers will tell the High Court the new law undermines the institutional integrity of the courts, removing the "fact finding" function which is a hallmark of judicial power. But the Commonwealth will tell the High Court the new law does not direct the courts to find any fact, and is valid under the constitution. The Commonwealth also said in its submissions the new act made no difference to the interception laws. "[The] Court of Appeal was correct to conclude that the AN0M evidence did not involve an interception in contravention … of the Interception Act," Commonwealth submissions said. The attorneys-general for New South Wales, Western Australia and Victoria have intervened, along with the Director of Public Prosecutions for South Australia, which has applied to intervene in support of the Commonwealth.
Washington Post
08-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
American Coastal: Q1 Earnings Snapshot
SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. — SAINT PETERSBURG, Fla. — American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC) on Thursday reported first-quarter net income of $21.3 million. On a per-share basis, the Saint Petersburg, Florida-based company said it had profit of 43 cents. Earnings, adjusted to account for discontinued operations, came to 42 cents per share.
Mint
22-04-2025
- Business
- Mint
Samhi Hotels share price soars over 45% from its 52-week low. Time to buy this small-cap hotel stock?
Samhi Hotels share price has surged over 45% from its 52-week lows on Tuesday's session. Technical analysts, highlighted that Samhi Hotels share price swept its IPO lows of ₹ 127.25 and rallied over 51% in just 9 sessions, backed by strong volume spikes above the 50-day average. Samhi Hotels share price today slumped 3%, the stock opened at ₹ 182.05 apiece on the BSE. The hotel stock touched an intraday high of ₹ 182.75 apiece, and an intraday low of ₹ 176.10 per share. Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree Investment and Securities, explained that after this sharp move, a brief consolidation and moving average catch-up are likely for the next 1–2 weeks. Once the base builds, the next leg of the rally towards ₹ 225 looks highly probable. Traders should keep it on radar for a post-consolidation breakout. PhillipCapital India has begun coverage on the hotel stock, assigning it a 'Buy' rating and establishing a target price of ₹ 243, anticipating a potential growth of 38%. The domestic brokerage noted in its report that it favors the company due to the stability provided by corporate travelers, partnerships with global flags, proven proficiency in turnaround strategies, and enhancements in key mix. SAMHI has strategically invested in major office markets such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Delhi NCR, which experience high demand. This strategy mitigates the cyclicality commonly observed in the leisure sector. Furthermore, over the years, the management has refined its approach to identifying undervalued or distressed assets and enhancing them to their true inherent worth. The company's exposure to the upper upscale and upscale segments is projected to grow from 22% of key inventory in FY24 to 27% in FY27. This upward shift is expected to lead to increased income from assets and an enhancement in operating margins by 600-1000 basis points for the same hotel. Moreover, the report indicates that the firm has experienced a rise in operating margin from 28% in FY24 to 35% in 9MFY25, attributed to a decrease in ESOP costs and enhanced margins in the ACIC portfolio. Additional margin growth is anticipated as the ESOP costs continue to decline and the margins in ACIC stabilize. The current Net Debt to EBITDA ratio stands at 4.9x; however, with a notable increase in operating profit, we forecast this will drop to 3.1x by FY27. "SAMHI is the largest multi brand hotel operator in India with 4,823 keys across 31 hotels in 13 major cities (post sale of Four Points by Sheraton in Chennai in February 2025). Through strong institutional backing they have mastered the acquisition and turn around model approach in large office markets where a significant mismatch in demand and supply exists. They currently operate at an occupancy level of 74% as on 9MFY25 and we are expecting this to increase to ~75% by FY27. We are expecting an increase of 10.4% in ARR and 11.4% in RevPAR over the next three years. We expect a CAGR growth of 8.9% / 11.9% / 58.9% in Net Sales / EBITDA / PAT respectively for the period between FY25E-27E. We initiate coverage with a Target Price of ₹ 243/- with a potential upside of 37.8%," said PhillipCapital India in its report. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts, experts and broking companies, not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decision. First Published: 22 Apr 2025, 02:35 PM IST
