Police News April 05.indd - New Zealand Police Association

April 2005Police News The Voice of PoliceORGANISED CRIME AND THE METH/P INDUSTRYAre we getting just the tip ofthe methamphetamine iceberg?Trans-national organised crime gangs, which supply bothprecursor products and ready-made ATS (amphetamine typesubstances) to New Zealand distributors, use ingenius methodsto try and circumvent border controls in New Zealand.Basically, anything with a cavity is seen as fair game.False-bottomed suitcases and condoms swallowed by drugcouriers are still being used but the drug lords have becomeincreasingly creative by using sealed food containers, furniture,shoes with false bottoms, drugs immersed in various liquids,drugs sewn into furntiture and a wide variety of other methods.International drug enforcement agencies spoken to by Police Newssay they have identified organised crime is also behind someillegal internet pharmacy operations.Some of the gangs have used diplomats as couriers, in the hopethat their protected status will aid the ease of importation.Protected statusCustoms Manager for Drug Investigations, Simon Williamson, toldPolice News that if intelligence indicated that a diplomat was carryingdrugs into New Zealand then approaches would be made throughofficial channels for interception. “They can be searched but wewould have to show cause as there are international conventions thatgovern these things. In the event of us identifying a foreign diplomatwe would have to consult with Foreign Affairs and probably seek awaiver from the country concerned,” he said.Diplomats are subject to the laws of the country in which theyreside but usually, in order to be charged, their diplomaticimmunity has to be waived by their embassy. The DiplomaticPrivileges and Immunities Act (1968) govern their status.The status of diplomatic couriers is particularly sensitive togovernments as these couriers often carry documents of a highlyclassified and confidential nature, which they may not want tosee falling into the hands of officials from their host country.New Zealand gangs are distributorsTransnational crime networks are supplying New Zealand gangs,as distributors, with precursors and pure crystal meth. Many ofthose supply networks are linked to Asian crime gangs, especiallyfrom China. Chinese authorities are known to have hugeproblems controlling what are known as “super labs”, whichchurn out huge quantities of crystal methamphetamine in roundthe-clockoperations.Police and Customs seizures of crystal methamphetamineskyrocketed last year with just over 26 kilograms seized betweenthe two agencies.“Precursors are the big issue for us now. We are seizing verysignificant amounts – on average 100,000 tablets a month,” MrWilliamson said.Last year Customs made 525 seizures involving 1.8 milliontablets. That quantity was enough to manufacture approximately130 kilograms of methamphetamine. In 2003 just 748 grams ofmethamphetamine was seized as opposed to 17.5 kilograms lastyear. The flow across New Zealand’s borders does not show anysign of abating. Where there is high demand there is high supply.International intelligenceCustoms and Police work closely with international intelligencegathering agencies throughout the world to try and track drugtrafficking operations that may be targeting New Zealand. WhenPolice and Customs become aware of shipments they do what isknown as a ‘controlled delivery operation’ whereby drugs can betraced internationally with a view to co-ordinated apprehensionswhere possible.Customs and Police do a fine job with limited resources and aheavy workload but its safe to assume that, despite high profileborder seizures from time to time, a lot of product is gettingthrough.The reality is that, even with the best will in the world, everyperson, every parcel, every letter and every container comingacross the border cannot be checked. High-risk items andindividuals are.The major concern for New Zealand society is that what is beingseized may merely be the tip of the crystal methamphetamineiceberg.• The old drugs in the false-bottomed shoes trick (left) andLava lamps, which were found to contain drugs.50