New Zealand and China are further bolstering their targeting of the illegal methamphetamine and precursor trade, with a new Police Attaché beginning work with police in Guangdong and Fujian provinces in Southern China.
Detective Sergeant Bruce Howard of Auckland will be the first officer to take up the role funded from seized proceeds of crime to support the government's methamphetamine action plan.
Detective Inspector Bruce Good said international cooperation between the two countries is strong, and enforcement agencies are working closely together to target the transnational crime at both ends – with several successful results to date.
“Operation Ghost (New Zealand’s largest ContacNT precursor case), which was terminated last year was solved through cooperation with the Chinese coordinating body, the National Narcotics Control Commission and their relevant Chinese police anti-narcotics units.
Separately, a significant amount of precursor chemicals with the potential to produce millions of dollars’ worth of methamphetamine was also seized by Customs at the border earlier this year – resulting in several arrests in New Zealand and four arrests in China,” Mr Good said.
During two parallel anti-narcotic operations to tackle the syndicate, agencies in both countries worked closely to identify the drugs syndicate operating out of China’s coastal Guangdong Province.
“The Chinese arrests came on the back of several other Chinese police coordinated operations targeting local groups trying to profit from sending precursor chemicals to New Zealand,” Mr Good said.
“These operations show that if you are sending drugs and chemicals to New Zealand from an overseas country, enforcement agencies have the networks and expertise to shut you down. The new role will further strengthen this.”
ENDS
Issued by Kevin Sinnott
Notes:
• The Memorandum of Arrangement to combat the illegal trade in precursor chemicals was signed in Beijing on 10 April 2013, and witnessed by Prime Minister Key and Premier Li It is a key platform in the government's Methamphetamine Action Plan
• Precursor chemical smuggling such as ContacNT or ephedrine are not death penalty offences in China.