Police Struggle as P Epidemic Worsens

7th August 2016

“Shargin Stephens, Tony Robertson, Graeme Burton and William Bell are all recidivist offenders who committed serious violent crimes while fuelled up on P, and yet nowhere near enough is being done about it” Guthrie

New Zealanders are among the highest users of methamphetamine in the world, alongside Australia and parts of South-East Asia.

According to Detective Superintendent Virginia Le Bas, National Manager of Organised Crime, officers on the street are reporting increasing evidence of P use.

We are seeing less clandestine labs in homes, but more mobile labs all around the country, and the police are attending more and more violent crimes involving meth addicts every day.

“Much of the crime Police deal with has a P element to it, especially violent crime. The difference with a methamphetamine-type substance is the effects of the drug itself that causes the problem, as opposed to most other drugs where it is the addiction and need to feed it that causes most of the associated crime issues” Greg O’Connor Police Association.

New Zealand's largest Meth bust in June is representative of the growing drug problem that is not going away. New Zealand's methamphetamine problem is here to stay and the growing problem is affecting more New Zealanders. Meanwhile lack of funding for organised crime fighting has made it increasingly difficult for police to target the gangs at the heart of the issue.

“Gangs are manufacturing and distributing P so let’s start at the root of the problem and outlaw gangs. These thugs need to understand if they choose to lead the life of an criminal they will be shut down” Guthrie

Sensible Sentencing Trust’s Spokesperson on Gangs Scott Guthrie endorses comments Hone Harawira made in relation to the growing P problem in the far North and is calling on the Government to step up and start dealing with the serious drug problem this country has.

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/kaitaia-lovely-town-its-paradise-but-p-changes-balance?autoPlay=5071574104001

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