Maori Party congratulates police for crackdown on 'P'

“Everyone who has faced the scourge of ‘P’, and the havoc it has wreaked on families and communities, will be elated to hear of the Police crackdown in South Auckland today,” said Dr Pita Sharples, MP for Tamaki Makaurau and Co-leader of the Maori Party.

Dr Sharples was responding to reports that 20 people have been arrested as a result of Operation Leo, and charged with supplying methamphetamine, conspiracy to supply, and firearms charges.

“It is great to see concrete evidence of the Police acting pre-emptively against this killer drug,” said Dr Sharples. “It’s like hearing the cavalry charging to the rescue.”

“For years, besieged communities have had programmes responding to the effects of P, and trying to keep people away from it. Hoani Waititi Marae’s is just one such programme. Around the country, towns and communities have declared themselves ‘P-free’.

“But we are not able to take really effective action against the people who are actively peddling methamphetamine to our young people, and then preying on people’s addictions to spread their evil network right into our midst,” he said.

“It’s a great psychological boost for us to see the police playing their part. Of course, it’s too soon for anyone to sigh with relief. What this news tells us is that we must keep up the pressure in every way we can, to drive this evil trade down to the point where communities and agencies can control it.

“I congratulate Superintendent Steve Shortland, Detective Inspector John Tims, and all the police for their efforts, especially because I have no doubt that this kind of operation is very dangerous to all involved,” said Dr Sharples.