Shearing gangs make soft targets for meth dealers

Police targeting high country drug use, writes Jo McKenzie-McLean.

Gang infiltration is being blamed for a growing rise in hard drugs within Otago’s shearing industry.

High country farmers, shearing contractors and police say methamphetamine use is increasing in the industry, prompting police and contractors to work together to prevent the spread.

Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis said police were working closely with the industry and contractors, as well as shearing gangs.

‘‘Drugs have been part of shearing gangs for some time. We are more interested in prevention. Obviously, there are gang members associated with shearing gangs – they come and go,’’ he said.

‘‘Gangs are the dealers and suppliers of meth in the country. Unfortunately, they try to target shearing. We are working hard to reduce supply in there.

‘‘It’s a dangerous drug in that industry when you are working with equipment things.’’

Initiatives included doing referrals through medical providers for those needing help, he said.

High country farmer and Central Otago District councillor Stu Duncan said he was concerned about an increasing culture of drugs in Central Otago and a growing use of methamphetamine, including among shearing gangs.

‘‘It’s concerning. I always thought it was a rich person’s drug. There is a lot more gang influence these days.’’

Shearing contractor Peter Lyon said drug dealers were drawn to the region because it was perceived ‘‘a good market’’ with its transient population.

Police had met contractors and shearing gangs to break down barriers and help give them positive experiences, like helping them get their driver’s licences.

Other services being offered included free health clinics and professional services with extended hours to accommodate the shearing gang’s long work days.

The biggest frustration was the difficulty in detecting if someone and other was taking drugs, Lyon said.

‘‘If someone has a problem they are always trying to hide it so they can keep being employed. It’s pretty difficult. Because there are so many transient employees, we seem to attract suppliers. It is like electricity – you can’t see it. We aren’t going to sit up all night and see who has got a pipe out.’’

A large proportion of his 140 employees had gang ties, but 80 per cent were ‘‘OK’’, he said.

‘‘It’s a worry for the future . . . We do see increasing evidence of it here. It is one of the big shifts in the industry. P is obviously more prevalent now.

Shearing should not be isolated as the only industry with problems, he said.

‘‘Talk about the Queenstown party scene or orchardists. We have a motor camp, and we actually find the orchard workers a lot harder to manage in nighttime activities than shearers.’’

Contractor Dion Morell said the drug problem was a community issue and the finger should not be pointed at the shearing industry.

‘‘It’s a minority considering the amount of people here, and the trouble they cause – it is minimal.’’

‘‘Gangs are the dealers and suppliers of meth in the country. Unfortunately, they try to target shearing.’’ – Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis