PM: GOVT MAKING PROGRESS IN WAR ON P

The Government's campaign against methamphetamine is getting results,
with lab busts and seizures up, and the street price of the drug
climbing gradually, says Prime Minister John Key.

Released today, the Tackling Methamphetamine progress report says the
average price of a "point" of pure methamphetamine, or P, has remained
since 2006 at $100, with the price of a gram having risen from $600 in
2006 to $723 now.

The war on P involves a range of government departments, spearheaded
by police and the Customs Department, and Mr Key said the report
showed continued crack-downs were producing high levels of seizures of
methamphetamine and the pseudoephedrine used to make it.

He said breaking supply chains was a big challenge, but border
seizures of illegal pseudoephedrine imports this year (821kg) was on
track to rival last year's record 1.2 tonnes. The amount seized so far
this year was enough to make up to 220kg of methamphetamine, at a
value of $220 million.

Over 25kg of methamphetamine, with a street value of about $25m, had
been seized so far this year, which was more than the 20kg seized last
year.

"The number of clan lab busts is up on last year and all new
residential treatment beds are in place six months ahead of schedule,"
Mr Key said.

He said the dangers of P remained apparent, and people went to extreme
lengths to import its ingredients, but those involved in the trade
would be finding the going difficult.

"I think we are actually making progress, which is why prices have
stayed at those high levels, and why the seizure rate is much higher."

"The comprehensive nature of the plan is delivering
results".

Mr Key said the impacts of the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act, brought
into effect last December, were also being felt, and that $48m worth
of assets believed to have been obtained through criminal activities
had been identified since then.

About $46m of that was linked to drug offending - $30m of which was
linked to methamphetamine.

Mr Key said $29.7m worth of those assets had been seized and were
being held by authorities.