New Zealand is losing the fight against transnational, serious, organised crime.
That's the finding from a Ministerial Advisory Report released this week which also shows methamphetamine consumption is sky rocketing.
The two are of course connected - the meth trade is a financial lifeline for organised crime - with around 36 kilograms of the drug consumed by New Zealanders every week which is more than double what it was five years ago according to ESR wastewater testing.
The challenges are just some of many that new Police Commissioner Richard Chambers is overseeing since beginning the top job in November last year.
Another one is the police's response to calls involving people with mental health issues.
From Monday police will further wind back their response involving those with a mental illness, as part of a year-long staged approach that will see police spend much less time on such calls, and get them "back to basics", which is the directive from the Government.
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
