Gang warfare feared in rivalry over 'P'

By BRIDGET CARTER

Gangs are making "absolutely millions" from selling pure methamphetamine because they are not being targeted, says the Police Association.

It predicts the country will be hit by gang warfare if the police continue to turn a blind eye to P.

While police chiefs strongly deny claims there is an unwritten rule not to go after drug manufacturers and laboratories, the association is standing by comments police officers made to the Herald.

Vice-president Richard Middleton said the reason crime was going down was that police were totally focused on property crimes.

"It happens on a daily basis where police officers pick up information on matters where gangs are involved. They are given a pat on the back and told, 'That's great, well done, but go and knock over this burglar'."

His comments come after several police officers told the Herald they were discouraged from policing pure methamphetamine in an effort to keep crime statistics down and because the illicit laboratories were too difficult to deal with.

Mr Middleton said that as a result, gangs were making millions out of P.

He predicted the P market would soon reach saturation point if police carried on turning a blind eye, and the country would be hit by gang warfare similar to Australia and the United States.

Police Minister George Hawkins said claims that police were not concentrating on P were rubbish.

Assistant Commissioner Peter Marshall, head of crime reduction and public safety, said police were highly focused on searching for and destroying the sale and manufacture of methamphetamine.

He said the force was not statistics driven and a "holistic" and balanced approach was being taken to reduce crime.