3 December 2024
IR-01-24-34691
F Cook
[FYI request #28589 email]
Dear F Cook
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 30 September 2024
requesting information about Police procedures in respect of storing, handling and
destruction of controlled drugs.
You have asked for:
‘…detailed information regarding the standard procedures for the destruction of
controlled drugs within the jurisdiction of New Zealand. Specifically, I am
seeking clarification on the following points:
1. Could you please confirm if there is a standard or formal procedure in place
for the destruction of controlled drugs? If so, please detail these procedures.
2. I would like to understand the complete process involved in the security and
destruction of controlled drugs, starting from the moment they are stored as
evidence. This includes, but is not limited to:
2a. The protocols for securely storing controlled drugs while they are in police
custody.
2b. The steps involved in handling and documenting these drugs as evidence.
2c. Any procedures to verify if subsection 18 (2) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975
applies to the evidence (e.g. licence verification or section 8, including
subsection 8 (7) [palliation])
2d. Any specific procedures for transporting controlled drugs to the location
where destruction takes place.
2e. The destruction process itself, including any oversight, verification, or record-
keeping mechanisms.
2f. Any follow-up actions taken after the destruction of the controlled drugs.
3. Could you please provide a breakdown of controlled drugs taken into
evidence, the quantity of controlled drug, what region it was held in, how long it
was held before destruction, and ideally what procedure was used to destroy the
controlled drug if different from a standard procedure. Ideally this should include
at least the last 5 years of data, or as much historic data available.
If some steps or procedures vary depending on the specific situation, or
controlled drug, or if parts of the process are not formally outlined, or some
information is not available, I kindly ask that you provide as much information as
is available for each part of the request mentioned above.’
Police National Headquarters 180 Molesworth Street. PO Box 3017, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
Telephone: 04 474 9499. 04 498 7400. www.police.govt.nz
In response to your questions 1 to 2f, I can advise that Police proactively releases
information on the New Zealand Police website that is considered high public interest,
including information relating to the areas you have asked about. In particular, I refer you
to the following links:
Drugs – Police Manual Chapters
Exhibits and Property – Police Manual Chapters
Some information in these chapters has been redacted, with the relevant section of the
OIA that applies indicated in these sections of the documents.
In relation to your question 3 and request for historic data on Police drug seizures, I
attach Police seizure data from 2019 to 2024, listed by commodity and Police District.
Please note that the data for 2023 and 2024 is provisional and subject to change, and
that the data provided for 2024 is year-to-date data from January to September 2024
only.
Information relating to the storage and destruction of the drugs is not retained by Police in
the form you have requested. This information is therefore refused pursuant to s18(f)
OIA, in that the information requested cannot be made available without substantial
collation or research.
If you are not satisfied with my response to your request, you have the right to seek a
review of my decision by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is
available at: www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Warren Olsson
Detective Inspector
National Criminal Investigations Group
Police National Headquarters
Below tables show quantity of seizures by NZ Police, for 2019 - 2024 YTD*, by commodity and by District.
*YTD is January 2024 - September 2024 only.
Commodity:
Cannabis
Drug form:
Head/leaf
Unit of measure:
Grams
Quantity seized
Police District
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 (YTD)
Auckland City
19,795.01
53,392.13
50,736.85
56,727.36
23,748.06
124,599.19
Bay of Plenty
134,729.48
86,137.66
89,039.84
125,050.16
86,654.09
172,976.08
Canterbury
37,757.29
20,225.11
38,738.34
24,164.90
32,227.49
16,750.34
Central
48,223.97
111,504.09
82,662.81
95,069.81
81,070.74
81,273.98
Counties/Manukau
40,291.21
108,981.56
134,457.74
87,613.29
151,091.05
128,699.32
Eastern
42,712.76
65,171.71
51,615.86
87,148.82
65,894.11
30,641.69
Northland
31,514.36
71,680.50
94,731.48
129,572.61
69,611.42
50,383.43
Southern
20,372.54
57,900.40
35,241.13
31,710.05
46,616.22
62,585.22
Tasman
38,058.99
35,453.79
30,171.81
98,220.50
42,009.18
25,738.93
Waikato
53,477.82
67,936.76
57,260.81
35,203.09
11,064.58
30,116.51
Waitemata
28,267.39
58,284.80
36,641.09
190,985.66
159,968.91
61,016.88
Wellington
15,527.71
41,470.55
42,229.20
45,532.38
33,266.80
15,260.80
Total
510,728.52
778,139.08
743,526.97
1,006,998.62
803,222.65
800,042.37
Commodity:
Cocaine
Drug form:
Powder/crystal
Unit of measure:
Grams
Quantity seized
Police District
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 (YTD)
Auckland City
280.24
128.41
858.62
422.27
1,164.45
410.59
Bay of Plenty
10.00
5.00
3.50
1.86
58.81
29.67
Canterbury
59.70
16.90
501.68
669.18
6.92
Central
74.22
15.70
0.98
0.72
0.86
Counties/Manukau
401.59
17.71
27.62
612.36
286.20
135.20
Eastern
2.80
61.80
1.25
176.72
234.71
Northland
1.44
4.39
2.41
4.85
0.92
2.10
Southern
21.63
5.56
16.50
37.01
172.39
43.64
Tasman
1.00
17.60
16.97
Waikato
0.01
3.50
3.97
758.25
Waitemata
24,020.70
269.41
28.72
87.73
706.47
271.11
Wellington
3.07
115.03
0.80
30.73
1,432.79
354.30
Total
24,876.40
639.91
1,440.83
1,201.56
4,690.22
2,264.32
Commodity:
GBL-type substances (GHB, GBL and 1,4-BD)
Drug form:
Liquid
Unit of measure:
Millilitres
Quantity seized
Police District
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 (YTD)
Auckland City
20,320.78
7,634.31
35,231.50
471.08
1,618.80
303.41
Bay of Plenty
1,157.00
117.50
30.00
59.00
885.00
Canterbury
30.08
100.00
Central
221.60
329.62
1,320.00
28.00
3,837.42
413.89
Counties/Manukau
297.00
8,646.75
21.00
26,635.00
47.11
79.45
Eastern
4.00
1,005.00
Northland
165.24
100.00
171.00
Southern
92.15
500.00
Tasman
1,282.00
30.00
20.00
Waikato
3.00
9,060.10
1,174.50
162.00
807.22
Waitemata
1,191.46
694.43
665.50
635.00
5,485.00
2,843.40
Wellington
1,343.83
407,981.42
1,260.83
4,431.10
6,093.33
1,656.00
Total
23,411.75
436,950.87
39,721.33
33,404.68
17,524.81
7,679.37
Page 1 of 3
Commodity:
Ketamine
Drug form:
Powder/crystal
Unit of measure:
Grams
Quantity seized
Police District
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 (YTD)
Auckland City
3.79
29.11
3.89
7.70
1,510.65
Bay of Plenty
116.07
46.48
0.30
Canterbury
2.79
69.71
87.23
Central
1.00
0.93
1.06
Counties/Manukau
464.80
145.30
80.13
1.20
14.91
Eastern
4.90
1.20
2.93
1.00
Northland
0.71
37.00
0.10
Southern
4.68
2.44
134.05
11.14
15.00
22.71
Tasman
1.82
30.10
160.66
Waikato
1,024.00
1.00
Waitemata
7.40
2.40
32.00
287.00
Wellington
250.00
0.88
195.86
863.00
Total
480.67
304.72
547.66
1,044.43
370.24
2,933.31
Commodity:
LSD
Drug form:
Tabs
Unit of measure:
Number of
Quantity seized
Police District
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 (YTD)
Auckland City
572.50
1,751.00
240.00
18.00
140.00
61.00
Bay of Plenty
14.00
95.00
69.00
40.00
55.00
204.00
Canterbury
217.00
44.00
253.50
115.00
170.00
30.00
Central
89.00
427.00
425.00
95.00
14.50
122.00
Counties/Manukau
217.00
5,100.25
27.00
245.50
235.00
42.00
Eastern
549.25
95.50
61.00
176.00
8.00
274.00
Northland
4.00
623.50
187.50
199.50
42.00
9.50
Southern
2,025.00
537.50
2,565.00
314.50
226.00
72.00
Tasman
202.25
260.50
67.00
257.00
267.00
75.00
Waikato
157.00
80.00
31.00
56.00
144.00
7.00
Waitemata
91.75
1,348.00
41.00
157.00
96.00
1,543.00
Wellington
31.00
255.00
983.00
49.00
6,470.50
5.00
Total
4,169.75
10,617.25
4,950.00
1,722.50
7,868.00
2,444.50
Commodity:
MDMA
Drug form:
Tablet equivalents (TEs)
Unit of measure:
Number of
Quantity seized
Police District
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 (YTD)
Auckland City
Bay of Plenty
Canterbury
Central
Counties/Manukau
Not available by Police District
Eastern
Northland
Southern
Tasman
Waikato
Waitemata
Wellington
Total
Page 2 of 3
Commodity:
Methamphetamine
Drug form:
Powder/crystal
Unit of measure:
Grams
Quantity seized
Police District
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 (YTD)
Auckland City
227,878.46
4,516.64
16,239.05
3,147.36
2,653.96
39,537.43
Bay of Plenty
139,750.97
1,364.35
958.10
1,327.59
2,058.29
627.80
Canterbury
7,158.63
3,627.21
1,539.59
798.04
2,399.83
800.15
Central
1,769.63
1,584.05
2,805.45
1,061.78
3,310.68
731.15
Counties/Manukau
8,323.06
4,515.01
11,412.93
6,074.56
329,532.13
6,069.15
Eastern
711.93
1,131.00
1,776.76
1,106.21
83,555.91
5,743.38
Northland
572.43
2,471.50
495.54
733.69
1,510.73
269.30
Southern
958.44
521.74
1,465.71
636.28
425.66
350.30
Tasman
806.10
943.80
66.55
270.85
2,603.73
240.29
Waikato
220,649.88
4,571.70
745.94
3,005.23
657.29
773.23
Waitemata
2,890.82
4,707.06
4,777.71
1,767.34
21,063.09
1,329.52
Wellington
4,106.14
1,394.54
1,894.49
1,879.75
12,213.09
5,508.90
Total
615,576.50
31,348.60
44,177.82
21,808.68
461,984.39
61,980.59
Caveats
All data for 2023 and 2024 is provisional and subject to change.
Data provided for 2024 year-to-date (YTD) is January 2024 - September 2024 only.
Data provided is NZ Police seizures only.
Grams and millilitres are reported to 2 decimal places. Units of measure are specified with each commodity reported on the 'NZP seizures by District' tab.
Commodities provided are the main illicit drug commodities seized by NZ Police only.
MDMA is reported in TE (tablet equivalents). TE data is not available by Police District.
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