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The Herald is running a six-part series on the damage methamphetamine is doing to New Zealand. We examine how the drug gets in, its devastating effect on society and what we can do to fix the problem.
A gang expert has welcomed greater powers for police but believes lawmakers still need to slash the amount of methamphetamine required to prove P dealing.
Cam Stokes was the detective sergeant in charge of the Auckland motorcycle gang unit until 2003.
He now runs Drugscene, a company that delivers training on the dangers of illegal drugs.
Mr Stokes rates the asset-seizure law as "bloody good". However, he points out the discrepancy in "presumption amounts" between cannabis and methamphetamine.
Police must prove allegations when they lay criminal charges, except when they find a large amount of drugs - the presumption amount.
When a person is caught with the presumption amount, they will be charged with possession for supply, an allegation the accused must disprove.
For cannabis, the amount is 28g - worth up to $400 - but for P it is 5g, which has a street value of $5000.
Mr Stokes advocates a law change to make methamphetamine a strict liability offence with a presumption amount of half a gram.
