Unappetising pie helps police get

Two West Auckland police officers have taken a food-themed approach to teaching youngsters in their patch about the dangers of synthetic drugs.

And the message — told with the help of a good old Kiwi pie — seems to be getting through.

At least 20 people have died this year as a result of using synthetic drugs, many of them in the West Auckland area.

The huge spike in fatalities prompted the Chief Coroner to issue a public warning about the drugs, known to many users as “synnies”.

Police in West Auckland are pushing that message to young people, and have found an innovative approach to make it loud and clear.

Constable Dermot Forde of the Henderson Neighbourhood Policing Team and Youth Aid Constable Reuben Jakich have teamed up to talk to teenagers at Alternative Education centres.

In their presentation they give an audience member a pie — then take it back, spray it with acetone and other nasty chemicals and offer it again to their volunteer.

“We say ‘who’s hungry now?”’ Forde told police magazine Ten One.

“They’ll say ‘are you trying to poison us?’ We tell them ‘well, boys and girls, that’s what you’ve been smoking’.”

Forde said West Auckland was “disproportionately affected” by synthetics use.

Last month the Herald spoke to the parents of Calum Jones, a 22-year-old father-of-one who died in his Henderson home after using synthetics.

A week later we revealed that Marilyn Makikiriti died just two weeks after giving birth, probably as a result of using synthetic drugs.

Two days later her cousin, Junior Taneao, died in similar circumstances.

Makikiriti’s brother has been charged with supplying both victims with the fatal doses.

All three deaths are before the Coroner.