FEARS OF CORRUPTION OVER DRUG

Wellington: With the explosion of methamphetamine in New Zealand, it
was only a matter of time before drug money was used to try to
corrupt officials, according to the Police Association.

President Greg O'Connor told NZPA association members had been
warning of organised crime-controlled methamphetamine manufacture and
distribution for years.

An overview of illicit drugs in New Zealand prepared by the National
Drug Intelligence Bureau for inclusion in the Australian Illicit Drug
Report 1999-2000 says all major outlaw motorcycle gangs are involved
in producing and distributing the Class B methamphetamine.

Bureau head Detective Sergeant Tony Quayle told NZPA police believed
every organised gang in the country was somehow involved with the
drug.

Mr O'Connor said the social and economic costs of organised crime
rings and their drug scene influence was enormous.

"We've seen overseas that when the gangs are powerful enough, that's
when the corruption starts," he told NZPA.

"Police are well aware of the degree of sophistication organised
crime rings are using . . . we've found dossiers that they've been
keeping on police officers . . . this is the grim reality for our
front-line people.

"The more entrenched organised crime gets, the more money there is
involved, the more likelihood there is of corruption and
intimidation."

He said while there was no evidence to suggest corruption at the
moment, "with the growth of meth production, it won't be long".

The bureau report says organised crime groups have used illegally
secured letterheads or set up fictitious companies to get chemicals
needed to make meth.

By educating pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies about how meth
manufacturers work, police hoped to limit the supply of ingredients
for illicit drug production.

Det Sgt Quayle said police suspected a considerable quantity of
chemicals were illegally imported into the country.