Pubdate: Fri, 2 May 2008 Source: Dominion Post, The (New Zealand) Copyright: 2008 The Dominion Post Contact: http://www.dompost.co.nz Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2550 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) NATS FAULT HANDLING OF DRUGS AND GANGS The National Party says the Government's admission that it is losing the war against methamphetamine is because it has failed to do anything substantive to tackle gangs. Justice Minister Annette King has conceded authorities are struggling to halt the spread of "P". The concession is made in a Cabinet paper that also argues for a legislative crackdown on access to the chemicals. But National MP Simon Power said the Government had rejected or deferred measures to tackle gangs, including backing off on a new offence directed at people who orchestrated the activities of those who committed crimes. Ms King, as police minister, had not recommended to the Cabinet any law change that would make it easier for police to destroy gang fortifications. The Government had rejected most proposals for dealing with intimidation from the presence of gang members in a public place, he said. This issue was widely canvassed after the shooting of two-year-old Jhia Te Tua when Mongrel Mob members attacked the house where she lived with her mother and Black Power-member father. Banning insignia was regarded as too broad a brush as it would capture many other groups in the net. Mr Power said the Government was deferring for up to a year other proposals that included: Restricting gang access to legal mechanisms such as limited liability companies and incorporated societies. Enabling undercover police to testify in a wider range of organised crime trials. Tighter controls on the availability of precursor chemicals for drug manufacture. These proposals were included in the Cabinet paper issued early last month when Ms King unveiled the details of the proposed Organised Crime Agency. In the paper, Ms King recommended a new regime within a year of the establishment of the new agency, which will begin work on July 1. The estimated $750 million to $1.5 billion retail trade in methamphetamine had clear links with "domestic and international organised crime", she said. Efforts to reduce the availability of methamphetamine and prevent the diversion of pseudoephedrine into the manufacturing of methamphetamines did not appear to have affected the price, purity or availability of methamphetamine, Ms King said. Additional approaches being considered included measures to prevent the diversion of pseudoephedrine-bearing medicines into the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine. Comprehensive mandatory controls aimed at limiting gangs' access to precursor chemicals were needed, she said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake