Thai drugs chief critical of N.Z.

Press, 20 October 1981, Page 6

Thai drugs chief critical of N.Z.

PA Wellington New Zealand is not paying its share toward helping the fight against international drug trafficking, according to Thailand’s Narcotic Containment Board chief, General Pow Sarasin. General Pow is in Wellington to attend the Far East Region Heads of Narcotics law enforcement agencies conference. It was for Thailand to make a direct approach for aid, said General .Pow, but some New Zealand politicians had been briefed on the subject when they had visited Thailand. General Pow said that al-

though many Western coun- ■ tries gave Thailand direct assistance to stop the supply of opium, heroin, and marijuana at its source in the “Golden Triangle,” New Zealand gave no money. It was time New Zealand helped; Australia had recently given $250,000 to the Thai police to fight drug trafficking. Although Thailand pro-

duced 50 tonnes of opium last season, the drug problem was not of Thailand’s making. Burma and Laos added to the, crop and were encouraged by the market created by Western buyers. Thailand in many cases was only a convenient market place. The placing' of a New Zealand police liaison officer in Thailand to help in detection of New Zealand drug traffickers was a good move, said General Pow. But it was only half the answer. “What happens when we are told about a New Zealand drug dealer?” he said.

“We have to use our men, our equipment to try and catch that person. But he is not just our problem. You should be helping us pay for that.”

. The -New Zealand police said yesterday that 90 per cent of the heroin and marijuana imported into this country came from SouthEast Asia, most of it passing through Thailand.