Drug raids will have short-term impact on Rotorua P supply

Major P raids in Kawerau and the Eastern Bay will have only a short-term impact on the availability of the drug in Rotorua, a drug counsellor says.

However, a former drug dealer who now helps reform criminals says the raids will do nothing to change the problem and another drug dealer will quickly fill the gap.

A six-month police drug investigation called Operation Notus saw 38 properties being raided on Tuesday and yesterday in Kawerau, Whakatane and Opotiki. Police arrested 36 people and more than $2 million of assets were seized.

Te Utuhina Manaakitanga Trust general manager Donna Blair, whose organisation ran drug and alcohol counselling services, said the P problem in Rotorua was growing, with more local addicts seeking help.

She was urging anyone suffering from not being able to their hands on methamphetamine as a result of the drug raids to get medical help as soon as possible.

"I believe this will have a short-term impact and hope that the raids continue as they are not likely to be one-off events. The more our community hears that meth dealing or using is unacceptable, we will hopefully see a reduction."

She said police had been very clear about their intentions to rid communities of methamphetamine and their proactive approach was appreciated.

When asked whether there were enough counsellors in Rotorua to help the growing number of addicts, Blair answered by saying the trust had walk-in clinics Monday to Friday to see people as they presented. She said people could also see their GPs.

She said there was more people could do to rid P in society, including "ongoing community conversations at all levels" that methamphetamine was unacceptable and where to get help.

"As a society we need to strongly encourage people to find healthier ways of managing life's stressors."

However, Rotorua's Billy Macfarlane said instead of attacking drug dealers, society needed to target drug users about why they wanted and needed drugs.

Macfarlane spent 14 years in high security prison for bankrolling and manufacturing methamphetamine. He was now working to reform criminals through tikanga Maori processes.

He said too much emphasis was on locking people up for drugs.

"We need to look at why people want it. What's going on at home ... They can shut the Mongrel Mob down and it will not stop anything ... They haven't sorted the problem, they've just cut the head off the snake."

Macfarlane said the Mongrel Mob weren't the only people in the Bay of Plenty dealing drugs.

"The real money makers are not walking around with patches on. There are suits and ties involved."

He said social issues were a deep-rooted problem now in New Zealand which the new Labour Government was trying to turn around.

"But all of that takes time."

He said money needed to be spent on getting better rehabilitation and counselling facilities.

"Let's have discussions with people who actually care because bureaucracy is getting in the way of doing good things."

Paul Khan, who runs the Methamphetamine Awareness Group Rotorua Facebook page, said he was trying to set up a drop-in centre in Rotorua's central city as an alternative to help P addicts.

He said the raids in Kawerau were good but there would always be drugs available.

"We need to deal with it as a health issue, not a criminal issue. That's more important."

A police media spokeswoman confirmed there were no warrants carried out in Rotorua as part of Operation Notus.

Where to get help
* Local GP
* Ring the Alcohol and Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797 or text 8681, seven days a week to speak to a trained counsellor
* Te Utuhina Manaakitanga Counselling Service on (07) 348 3598