Just 13 percent of respondents said they purchased cannabis from gangs. File photo. Photo: 123rf
More New Zealanders are buying and selling drugs online, according to the latest findings of the New Zealand Drug Trends Survey.
Researchers also have a clearer picture of the role gangs play in the drug market across the country, including which types of drugs are most commonly sold by gangs, and which regions have seen gangs monopolise local drug sales.
Nationally, one third of methamphetamine buyers reported purchasing from gangs.
Methamphetamine users in Southland/West Coast, Northland and Tasman/Nelson/Marlborough reported the highest percentage of gang purchases, between 44 percent and 53 percent.
In some regions, such as Gisborne and the Hawke's Bay, nearly 70 percent of respondents said one or two gangs dominated the meth market.
Lead professor Chris Wilkins says that monopolisation of the market was when gang selling became particularly harmful.
Gang involvement in other drugs was far lower, with just 13 percent of respondents saying they purchased cannabis from gangs, 6 percent reporting buying cocaine from gangs, 5 percent and 3 percent of MDMA and LSD users respectively reporting having bought from gang members.
"People talk in general terms about gangs and drugs, but gangs are actually most involved in methamphetamine and a little bit of cannabis - there's a whole lot of drug types where gangs aren't particularly involved."
Packs of methamphetamine seized by customs in March. In some regions, such as Gisborne and the Hawke's Bay, nearly 70 percent of respondents said one or two gangs dominated the meth market. Photo: Supplied/NZ Customs
He said there were some historical associations between gangs and methamphetamine, but it was also due to the international methamphetamine supply connections some gangs had developed, and the profitability of methamphetamine.
"The dominance of synthetic drug types, such as methamphetamine and synthetic opioids that means organised crime groups can produce very large quantities at low costs, and can do it anywhere - you don't have to grow opium in Afghanistan or coca in South America."
Local organised crime groups were developing connections all over the world, "not just the traditional South East Asia, but also the Mexican drug cartels who are experts in smuggling and distribution".
Previous modelling found gang selling increased the availability and lowered the price of methampetamine, particularly in small towns and rural areas.
But researchers noted more work was needed to isolate the role of gangs in driving meth use and harm, compared to alternative causes such as economic and social deprivation, unemployment or untreated mental health problems.
Survey findings also showed the rise in the use of social media and messaging apps to purchase drugs, which was consistent with overseas findings pointing to the growing digitalisation of drug markets, Wilkins said.
The use of social media purchasing was seen for all drug types, and had increased across cannabis, meth, MDMA, LSD/psychedelics and cocaine users in recent years, in some cases doubling on 2020 numbers.
The proportion who purchased LSD via social media and messaging apps increased from 9 percent in 2020 to 18 percent in 2024, MDMA purchases increased from 13 percent in 2020 to 24 percent in 2024, and cocaine purchases via apps went from 4 percent to 15 percent.
Wilkins said that while to some extent it was a sign of the digital times, it was also changing the face of the drug market and promoting drug use to a wider audience of young people.
"That's important to get your mind around in terms of drug prevention, help and support, that also now needs to happen online in a big way."
Facebook messenger was the most widely used among social media purchasers, with 54 percent using it in the six months prior, and Snapchat was close behind on 48 percent.
Other apps such as Signal, Whats App and Telegram were used by between 11 percent and 8 percent of social media purchasers, with 5 percent of respondents using dating apps to buy drugs.
Purchases via the darknet hovered around the 2 - 4 percent mark, which researchers described as "a small but influential role", and was largely restricted to stimulants, psychedelics and cannabis.
Despite the small numbers of people using the darknet, studies showed many were purchasing larger wholesale amounts for resale, suggesting a disproportionate impact, researchers concluded.
The NZDTS provides an annual snapshot of drug trends. More than 10,500 people completed the 2024 survey, responding to questions about drug use patterns, drug market prices, views on drug policy, help services, barriers to seeking help and harm reduction initiatives.
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