POLICE CRACK DRUG CARTEL

The discovery of an Asian crime ring in Christchurch and Wellington
has prompted a chilling warning from police about the "criminal
underworld". Police and the Customs Department yesterday busted a drug
syndicate that had been dealing over $100,000 of methamphetamine weekly.

Raids on properties in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland also
found quantities of pure methamphetamine - P - worth more than $400,000.

Sixteen people from Christchurch and two from Wellington have been
charged in relation to the bust, with many appearing in court
yesterday. Detective Inspector Paul Kench, of the Christchurch police,
said: "The general public are not aware of what may be happening
within different sub-cultures in the criminal underworld."

He promised more crackdowns.

Detective Senior Sergeant Tom Fitzgerald, of Christchurch, said police
had made a "severe dent" in methamphetamine dealing.

"That meth collection would have been dealt within the next week to 10
days. That's what the syndicate was turning over," he said.

"There are links to Asian organised-crime syndicates throughout New
Zealand and established links in Christchurch. These links have been
forged for a number of years."

Police and Customs found precursor chemicals for methamphetamines and
pseudoephidrines, but no meth laboratories, Fitzgerald said.

The market for methamphetamines had changed. "It crosses all
boundaries across the community, from professionals through to
standard drug users."

The trade was all about money, Fitzgerald said. "Money will override
anything. They will deal to anybody and everybody."

Black Power president Shane Turner said Asian-organised crime had been
in Christchurch for "quite a while".

"They just keep a low profile. You can't detect them because they are
well off. Most probably hide behind their money," he said.

The syndicates were slowly drifting into gangs but Turner said he did
not associate with them.

"They are sophisticated people paying a lot of money. It would not be
gangs associated with it. They (the Asians) don't want to be involved
with intimidation ... gangs would have too much heat on them."

Customs investigations team leader Dave Campbell said New Zealand had
long been recognised as a growing drug market, and Asian-organised
crime had taken advantage of the opportunity.

"It's simply a matter of supply and demand and what New Zealand is
developing is a significant market for these types of drugs. It's
quite a sub-culture," he said.

Canterbury University sociologist Jarrod Gilbert said that with the
influx of Asian immigrants organised crime was "on its way".

"The concern is if Asian gangs were to come here they would almost
certainly be a greater threat because they would have stronger
criminal intent than other gangs. Overseas, they are far more into
organised activity, so that culture would come with them," he said.

Gilbert said New Zealand gangs were not as sophisticated.

Asian Youth Trust spokesman Stephen Kannangara said New Zealand's
softer drug laws made it attractive for organised crime to operate.

"There's money to be made and New Zealand drug laws are not that
strict here," he said.

"It's not a big deal here. You go to jail - so what? It's not a
frightening thought getting caught rather than in Singapore or
Malaysia. Your life isn't going to be taken away here."

Chinese students would be a target for drug syndicates, Kannangara
said. "There's a lot around and they have a lot of money. They would
probably use them to sell as well," he said.

"Another one is women. Quite a few Chinese women would be selling it.
It's very hard for them to get a job here. Christchurch is one of the
worst places for (an Asian) to get work."

The editor of Chinese-language newspaper iBall, Lincoln Tan, said he
knew of Asian youths who had been approached by others to sell
methamphetamine but was not aware of any organised crime operating in
New Zealand.

Court documents yesterday listed those caught in the drug bust. They
will face a variety of charges.

They are [19 names redacted]