The Government's announced its methamphetamine action plan, calling the drug a 'scourge on our society'.
Methamphetamine consumption doubled from 732kg in 2023 to almost 1,500 kilos in 2024, according to police wastewater testing.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says the prevention campaign will address importation, distribution and most importantly demand.
NZ Police Acting Assistant Commissioner: Investigations, Serious and Organised Crime, Corrie Parnell told Kerre Woodham that 'we've got to tackle it and tackle it hard and front on.'
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to The Carrywood and Morning's podcast from News
Talks HEADB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The governments announced its meth amphetamine Action Plan as we
have been discussing. Meth consumption doubled from seven hundred and
thirty two kilograms in twenty twenty three to almost fifteen
hundred kilos in twenty twenty four according to police wastewater testing.
Just as Minister Paul Goldsmith says, the prevention campaign will
(00:31):
address importation, distribution and demand. New Zealand Police Acting Assistant
Commissioner Investigation Serious and Organized Crime, Cory Parnell joins me, Now,
good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
To you, Morning Carry.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I know we have to do something, but this South
American corridor through the Pacific has been established for a
very long time now, it's impossible to get to every
single island and atoll. We've got thousands of containers arriving
into our ports every week. How on earth are we
(01:08):
supposed to intercept the myth that's coming in.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
It's multifaceted, Carrie, and to do nothing is simply not
an option. So we've got to tackle it and tackle
it hard at front time. So it's working not only
domestically but internationally. One of the primacy efforts needs to
go actually preventing and actually arriving here in the first place. So,
you know, really strengthening those across border relationships with our
(01:37):
international partners as a key pillar of actually preventing it
arriving here in the first place.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Well, our relations with the Cocks have never been worse.
Tong A and Fiji ten to much to the beat
of their own drum, do you think we can actually
work together on the understanding that the drugs can do
such terrible damage to our communities.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
I think that's the key to it. The devastation that's
caused in our own country and continues to cause, particularly
around that wider serious harm to our communities. That's the
typical around the globe and particularly through the pacifica corridors.
We've seen that emergence there. I think a common person
(02:18):
purpose there across global waters is at the kere of it.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I know we can't just give up, but do you
seriously think that we can make a dent and the
business that these cartels are doing.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, that's why we come to work every day and
we can make a difference and simply have to get
cracking on that. You know, we've done tremendous work thus far,
but New Zealand has become vulnerable unfortunately in terms of
the profit margin for organized crime here, so we really
need to attack it from multiple levels.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
We're not catching it anymore, are we.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
There's still prevalence of that nationally, but certainly most of
our mythmatamine traders coming through border, but we do occasionally
still come across clandestine laboratories across the country, but we've
rarely got to address that demand profile. H And what
is a very lucrative business, if you like, in terms
(03:25):
of this country. We're paying you know, of one hundred
and twenty thousand a kg of meth infetamine wholesale price.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I get why people might have tried myth twenty five
years ago before you saw the hawks that can get
into people. But we know now how dangerous and damaging
it is. There are other drugs people can use. Why myth?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Yeah, I think it's just the share volume of availability
of myth, the means of which you know, our organized
crime infiltrated other drug commodities, and the lacing with meth amphetamine.
What we do know from all the research, you're extremely addictive,
and even from one try of meth and fetterling you
(04:12):
can become a lifelong devastating habits for users. But just
the shaer flooding of the New ZEALMD marketplace and also
globally has made it particularly a drug of choice.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
To a certain extent. A previous caller I was talking
to had a point that we lumped all drugs and
is just evil and the go as Scallus thing the
moment you have a toke on a joint, that that's it.
Your life's destroyed. I mean, I think that was the
message I got it Sacred Heart Girls college back in
the early eighties. You know you're done, you might as
(04:46):
well give up. And that's just not true. So perhaps
people are still thinking that of meth, that you know,
they've heard nonsense before from people about drugs. They don't
believe them, They think they can manage it, and then
by the time they find out they can't, it's too late.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yeah, I think so. I mean, certainly my experiences over
a number of decades now in the prevalence of a
various drug commodities. Some have come and gone, but it
has always been a constant there with those top top commodities,
and particularly metho. It's such an insidious and addictive drug
that has really permited that drug community has no social barriers.
(05:27):
People from all life and unfortunately stepped into this realm.
But ultimately what we're seeing it's not just around the
harm to the user, it's that wider impact across our
society and New Zealand at multiple levels, right through to
the serious violence and the gun crime our youth is
(05:50):
having devastating effects and entirely on the whole system and
the health system etc.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
If you were Justice Minister, what more would you have done?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Well? I think the steps and the announcement of yesterday
it's very clear in terms of governments intent in what
we're doing in advancing in terms of strengthening the entire
system at multiple levels. The simple fact of the matter
is MU Zealand police can take this on alone. That
requires a hole into government across agency approach of which
(06:28):
the private sector play a key part, particularly around the
financing of organized crime, and more broadly, communities need to
own this alongside us as well in terms of the
collective effort to really stamp it out.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
What can communities do? Would you like to see more
rehab centers because at the moment, there seems to be
nice places for people who can afford twenty thousand a
week and places for people who are on bail, who
are within the justice system. Do we need to see
more places for that middle and entry if you like
drug addict.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, well there certainly a number of layers already in operation.
So ife to the resilience of organized crime and Communities initiatives,
we've got that operating across seven of our regions. Now.
The future investment that's gone to that in recent announcements,
which we'll see those programs through to the end of
(07:26):
twenty twenty six. At this stage, first and foremost stopping.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
That would be user reducing, team.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Reducing the demand providing those community lead services. In particularly
this has been really positive signs within the ROCK initiatives
running around the country and particularly supporting users, supporting wider
families in terms of where they might find themselves with
(07:56):
a loved one addicted. But first and foremost lifting the
public profile around the actual awareness around this actual drug
and the harm that's across community. So it's part of
the ongoing initiatives.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I thank you very much for your time. Back to
the Fight, Cory Pannell, Acting Assistant Commissioner Investigation, Serious and
Organized Crime.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
For more from carry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
News Talks a't B from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to The Carrywood and Morning's podcast from News
Talks HEADB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
The governments announced its meth amphetamine Action Plan as we
have been discussing. Meth consumption doubled from seven hundred and
thirty two kilograms in twenty twenty three to almost fifteen
hundred kilos in twenty twenty four according to police wastewater testing.
Just as Minister Paul Goldsmith says, the prevention campaign will
(00:31):
address importation, distribution and demand. New Zealand Police Acting Assistant
Commissioner Investigation Serious and Organized Crime, Cory Parnell joins me, Now,
good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
To you, Morning Carry.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I know we have to do something, but this South
American corridor through the Pacific has been established for a
very long time now, it's impossible to get to every
single island and atoll. We've got thousands of containers arriving
into our ports every week. How on earth are we
(01:08):
supposed to intercept the myth that's coming in.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
It's multifaceted, Carrie, and to do nothing is simply not
an option. So we've got to tackle it and tackle
it hard at front time. So it's working not only
domestically but internationally. One of the primacy efforts needs to
go actually preventing and actually arriving here in the first place. So,
you know, really strengthening those across border relationships with our
(01:37):
international partners as a key pillar of actually preventing it
arriving here in the first place.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Well, our relations with the Cocks have never been worse.
Tong A and Fiji ten to much to the beat
of their own drum, do you think we can actually
work together on the understanding that the drugs can do
such terrible damage to our communities.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
I think that's the key to it. The devastation that's
caused in our own country and continues to cause, particularly
around that wider serious harm to our communities. That's the
typical around the globe and particularly through the pacifica corridors.
We've seen that emergence there. I think a common person
(02:18):
purpose there across global waters is at the kere of it.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I know we can't just give up, but do you
seriously think that we can make a dent and the
business that these cartels are doing.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, that's why we come to work every day and
we can make a difference and simply have to get
cracking on that. You know, we've done tremendous work thus far,
but New Zealand has become vulnerable unfortunately in terms of
the profit margin for organized crime here, so we really
need to attack it from multiple levels.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
We're not catching it anymore, are we.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
There's still prevalence of that nationally, but certainly most of
our mythmatamine traders coming through border, but we do occasionally
still come across clandestine laboratories across the country, but we've
rarely got to address that demand profile. H And what
is a very lucrative business, if you like, in terms
(03:25):
of this country. We're paying you know, of one hundred
and twenty thousand a kg of meth infetamine wholesale price.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
I get why people might have tried myth twenty five
years ago before you saw the hawks that can get
into people. But we know now how dangerous and damaging
it is. There are other drugs people can use. Why myth?
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Yeah, I think it's just the share volume of availability
of myth, the means of which you know, our organized
crime infiltrated other drug commodities, and the lacing with meth amphetamine.
What we do know from all the research, you're extremely addictive,
and even from one try of meth and fetterling you
(04:12):
can become a lifelong devastating habits for users. But just
the shaer flooding of the New ZEALMD marketplace and also
globally has made it particularly a drug of choice.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
To a certain extent. A previous caller I was talking
to had a point that we lumped all drugs and
is just evil and the go as Scallus thing the
moment you have a toke on a joint, that that's it.
Your life's destroyed. I mean, I think that was the
message I got it Sacred Heart Girls college back in
the early eighties. You know you're done, you might as
(04:46):
well give up. And that's just not true. So perhaps
people are still thinking that of meth, that you know,
they've heard nonsense before from people about drugs. They don't
believe them, They think they can manage it, and then
by the time they find out they can't, it's too late.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yeah, I think so. I mean, certainly my experiences over
a number of decades now in the prevalence of a
various drug commodities. Some have come and gone, but it
has always been a constant there with those top top commodities,
and particularly metho. It's such an insidious and addictive drug
that has really permited that drug community has no social barriers.
(05:27):
People from all life and unfortunately stepped into this realm.
But ultimately what we're seeing it's not just around the
harm to the user, it's that wider impact across our
society and New Zealand at multiple levels, right through to
the serious violence and the gun crime our youth is
(05:50):
having devastating effects and entirely on the whole system and
the health system etc.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
If you were Justice Minister, what more would you have done?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Well? I think the steps and the announcement of yesterday
it's very clear in terms of governments intent in what
we're doing in advancing in terms of strengthening the entire
system at multiple levels. The simple fact of the matter
is MU Zealand police can take this on alone. That
requires a hole into government across agency approach of which
(06:28):
the private sector play a key part, particularly around the
financing of organized crime, and more broadly, communities need to
own this alongside us as well in terms of the
collective effort to really stamp it out.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
What can communities do? Would you like to see more
rehab centers because at the moment, there seems to be
nice places for people who can afford twenty thousand a
week and places for people who are on bail, who
are within the justice system. Do we need to see
more places for that middle and entry if you like
drug addict.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, well there certainly a number of layers already in operation.
So ife to the resilience of organized crime and Communities initiatives,
we've got that operating across seven of our regions. Now.
The future investment that's gone to that in recent announcements,
which we'll see those programs through to the end of
(07:26):
twenty twenty six. At this stage, first and foremost stopping.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
That would be user reducing, team.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Reducing the demand providing those community lead services. In particularly
this has been really positive signs within the ROCK initiatives
running around the country and particularly supporting users, supporting wider
families in terms of where they might find themselves with
(07:56):
a loved one addicted. But first and foremost lifting the
public profile around the actual awareness around this actual drug
and the harm that's across community. So it's part of
the ongoing initiatives.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
I thank you very much for your time. Back to
the Fight, Cory Pannell, Acting Assistant Commissioner Investigation, Serious and
Organized Crime.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
For more from carry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
News Talks a't B from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com