The leader of the Hastings gang the Mongrel Mob, Rex Timu, says "racist" government policy is behind high numbers of Maori being addicted to P and has lodged a claim with the Waitangi Tribunal.

In his claim, Mr Timu said the Mob find it extremely difficult to access services for P addiction because they're turned away for how they look, and who they are.

He said they're viewed as thugs on drugs, and racism is preventing them from getting clean.

Rex Timu said the Crown must ensure there are adequate services available to help those affected by P - including the Mongrel Mob.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party is calling for a rise in police numbers to properly target the organised drugs trade and shut down gangs for good.

The Party's police spokesman, Stuart Nash, said the government are not acting on new data about New Zealand's gangs because of a lack of resources on the front line.

He said we know exactly how many gang members there are, we know what they're up to, and there are Government databases filled with their information.

Mr Nash said gangs are a huge cost to society, and the main contributor to rising drug crime.

"The more I see, the more I hear and the more I talk to our front line officers the more insidious this P epidemic is becoming," he said.

"I think easiest and the best way to way to get rid of this, or to really knock it on the head, is to go after the gangs," Mr Nash said.

"More police will certainly help but I wan't to smash these gangs and have them out of our communities," he said.