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Police better prepared to fight drug use after wastewater testing

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 1 May 2019, 12:53PM
The test revealed Kiwis spend nearly $1.4 million on methamphetamine every single day. Photo / Getty Images.

Police better prepared to fight drug use after wastewater testing

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 1 May 2019, 12:53PM

Police say they now have better information to fight drug use in New Zealand after carrying out nationwide wastewater testing.

The test revealed Kiwis spend nearly $1.4 million on methamphetamine every single day.

Described by scientists as "one large urine test", the wastewater testing started with three sites in 2016 - Whangarei, Auckland's North Shore and Christchurch - but was rolled out nationwide last November.

The ESR testing at 38 sites now captures 80 per cent of the population and officials hope it will paint a clearer picture of New Zealand's drug habits.

An average of 16kg of methamphetamine has been consumed each week in November, December and January according to the preliminary results released today.

This costs the country an estimated $20 million each week in social harm - or $1 billion a year.

MDMA was the second most popular drug in New Zealand, with around 4kg consumed each week.

Assistant Commissioner of Investigations, Serious and Organised Crime, Richard Chambers, told Mike Hosking they can now start to help the areas that are worst affected by drugs.

"This is the best information that we have ever had to help us understand the significance of the problem across our country.

Chambers said he isn't surprised by the results, but he is disappointed and concerned.

"We have always known that there has been criminal activity involving illicit drug use, but what I can say is that I am very disappointed because of the significance of the harm that these drugs cause," he said.

The driving factor behind methamphetamine use is addiction, Chambers said.

"There are gangs out there...exploiting vulnerable people."

He said gangs are preying on vulnerable people becuase they can make a lot of money from making and selling methamphetamine.

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