PROBE EXPOSES 'DECENT PEOPLE' LURED BY DRUGS

Police have exposed Taupo businessmen, housewives and schoolchildren
as drug users after an undercover operation revealed the extent of
criminal behaviour in the area.

Detective Inspector Graham Bell said he was astonished at how many
"respectable" Taupo residents were using methamphetamine, commonly
known as speed.

"People who come from decent homes and nice neighbourhoods have now
been lured into the use of this drug in epidemic proportions," he
said.

A police operation launched four months ago into burglary and stolen
property came across the widespread drug scene.

"It was in our agent's face all the time. I don't think we've
realised until now how big it is," Detective Inspector Bell said.

In simultaneous raids yesterday morning, police arrested 30 people in
Auckland, Rotorua, Taupo, Turangi and Ohakune and seized more than
$10,000 of speed, LSD, Ecstasy and cannabis.

A methamphetamine lab was also found in Taupo and $300,000 of stolen
property recovered.

Detective Inspector Bell believed thousands of people - including
tourists - could have been supplied with drugs over the past few
months.

"I don't know what it's doing for our national image."

But police say Taupo is no different to any other town and
methamphetamine use is a growing problem nationwide.

"We are confident that the recent increase in violent offending right
through New Zealand is significantly attributable to the abuse of
amphetamines," Detective Inspector Bell said.

"This is a wake-up call. People need to look at themselves and say,
'Are my children or my parents involved in this?"'

Police were often coming across amphetamine users who had not slept
in days, and were suffering heightened anxieties and wild mood
swings, he said.

Taupo mayor Joan Williamson said it was regrettable the drug had
become so widely available.

"People tolerate to some extent drugs like speed and others. They've
almost become psychologically acceptable," she said.

The community needed to be realistic and look out for drug use in
future so that it could be eliminated.

"We've got basically a good community, leading decent, law-abiding
lives and I just think it's pleasing to see a weeding-out of the
blight amongst us," Mrs Williamson said.

Detective Inspector Bell said methamphetamine's class B drug
classification underrated the dangers associated with it.

Law changes were necessary to make it a class A controlled drug and
give police the power to search for it without a warrant.

A spokesperson for Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia said a
review of the Misuse of Drugs Act schedule was planned.

The 30 people arrested yesterday face a total of 90 charges of
selling class A, B and C controlled drugs. Police expect to make
further arrests soon.