Whole of police approach targets organised crime

The link between organised crime, methamphetamine and crime and crash reduction is a strong focus for staff in Waikato District.

“ORGANISED CRIME has been assessed as the number one risk facing the Waikato District,” says Waikato Field Crime Manager, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead. “And a whole-of-policing approach has been adopted to target it.”

Mike says drugs remain the primary offending area for organised groups. “The addiction cycle for a heavy methamphetamine user is eight-12 weeks. By that time they will be unable to support their use from legitimate income. Criminals seldom offend in only one crime category and organised criminal groups often offend across the full spectrum of crime including licensing, protection, burglary, theft, receiving and fraud.”

To investigate drugs and organised crime, Waikato units work together, including the Organised Crime Squad, Crime Control Unit, Proceeds of Crime Unit, Corporate Fraud, CIS, Gang Intel, crime analysts and surveillance.

“Further to these we also have a clandestine drug laboratory team, expert witness pool, drug education presenters and a district under-cover deployment programme. Close interaction with the Detective Senior Sergeant City and the Field Crime Supervisor (Rural) ensures district-wide coordination,” says Mike.

Because all units work closely together, they are more effective and productive with each adding value to the work of others. The old cliché is true. Criminals do not recognise police boundaries and it is important the policing approach is consistent or the main offenders will simply move to areas of lesser policing pressure.

“Unfortunately with drugs, while the manufacturer, cultivator or main dealer may move, their market does not. A district or area that gives drugs a lower priority can adversely impact on others. We have seen this with cannabis cultivation and there are developing trends with methamphetamine.”
One example of the work being achieved was the recent arrest of a gang member for possession of methamphetamine and possession of precursor chemicals.

“In one warrant on gang premises in a small rural town we recovered enough precursor chemical to make 20.2 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of $20 million if sold in ‘point’ deals,” says Mike.

Points (one tenth of a gram) sell for $100
One kilogram = 1000 grams
1000 grams = 10,000 points
10,000 points = $1million