Pubdate: Sat, 03 Nov 2012
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2012 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300
Author: Andrew Koubaridis

COCAINE USE IS CREEPING UP

Growing seizures of drug points to its popularity.

Police have revealed exactly how many drugs are being pulled off the
streets - and cocaine looks to be making a comeback.

Figures released to the Weekend Herald show 5469 grams of cocaine was
seized by police up to August this year, much higher than in previous
years.

Methamphetamine and Ecstasy have dropped away, while the emergence of
"unknown powders" seized by police and Customs has increased
substantially in the last year.

Massey University researcher Dr Chris Wilkins said the amounts of
cocaine discovered were still low, however it appeared to be growing
in popularity.

"The first thing to note with seizures, is often the larger seizures
are made in transit. In New Zealand there hasn't been a traditionally
big cocaine market. There is a much bigger market in Australia -
specifically New South Wales and Sydney."

In the past New Zealand and other Pacific countries are used as
transit points, he said.

"It seems there is some evidence that cocaine is more common in New
Zealand now, but it doesn't seem to be at the point yet of having any
mass market."

Overseas evidence is cocaine was used as an alternative to
methamphetamine but where that drug was strong, such as in New
Zealand, cocaine use was usually lower.

"You can see that clearly in the US [where] a lot of states near the
sea and south have cocaine and further in the Midwest it's
methamphetamine and that has issues about supply and purity."

New Zealand's "big meth market" might be the case that precludes
anything big happening with cocaine.

"But almost definitely cocaine in New Zealand is in a different market
than methamphetamine [because] you have more effect for the money
spent [on P] than cocaine, so that's one of the reasons it probably
outdoes it, because particularly in New Zealand it is very expensive."

An added problem for cocaine-users was the drug cost up to $350 a gram
and purity was not always that reliable, he said.

He believed its increased popularity could be partly attributed to
more Kiwis coming into contact with the drug in Australia or the
United Kingdom.

In March this year police arrested an Australian couple linked to an
international drug syndicate and the discovery of 2kg of cocaine on a
"drug courier" - drugs worth over $1.5 million once they had been cut
and distributed.

Also this year, up to 1kg of cocaine in bottles of tequila were found
on an American tourist who had made several trips to the country.

Customs staff thought the amount of cocaine suggested the smuggler
must have had networks in place to sell the drug.

Dr Wilkins believed the reputation of the drugs had changed
substantially in recent years.

"The reputation of methamphetamine has been in decline for some time -
it's seen as a dirty drug, a lower socio-economic drug ... I think
that's very clear in a lot of people's mind, given the association
with crime and downfalls of certain people."

That view was considerably different than when methamphetamine was
linked with the dance party scene in the early 2000s and it could be
partly behind the rise in cocaine use.

"Cocaine in powder form has more of an upscale image and people who
use it in New Zealand are a fairly wealthy, connected group." However
the amount being seized would not be enough to supply a regular market.

Detective Inspector Stuart Mills, of the National Drug Intelligence
Bureau, agreed New Zealand had been used as a transit country.
"However, as [domestic] demand for cocaine grows, this may change."

Cocaine was far more available worldwide. "Australia is being targeted
by organised crime groups attempting to broaden the market."

Mr Mills said police had seized 48kg of unknown powders so far this
year while Customs had seized 273kg. The powder could then be turned
into Ecstasy-type tablets which had led to the changes in the illicit
drug market.
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MAP posted-by: Matt