Wellington District Police committed to war on methamphetamine

More than 30 Police staff across the Wellington District have significantly disrupted an entrenched methamphetamine supply ring this week, with 16 arrests so far and counting.

Over the past four days, Police from the Wellington Drug Squad, Armed Offenders Squad, the Clan Lab team, CIB and frontline staff have executed about a dozen search warrants in Wellington city, the Hutt Valley and Kapiti Mana, as part of Operation Marian.

Wellington District Organised Crime Manager Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson says seven females and nine males aged between 27 and 60 years have been arrested and charged this week in relation to the operation.

"Our colleagues from ESR have processed five scenes including a vehicle and four addresses, where components and chemicals used in the manufacture of methamphetamine have been seized."

He says, "In one instance, at a Wellington city house, chemicals recovered would have yielded 600 grams of methamphetamine, valued at around half a million dollars, had we not located it when we did."

The 16 arrested have made appearances in the Wellington District Court this week, facing a range of charges including conspiring to manufacture and supply methamphetamine, supplying methamphetamine and possession of equipment and material used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

"What was of real concern to us was again the recovery of several firearms, located when we executed search warrants in Tawa. We've also made five referrals to Child, Youth and Family, after locating school-aged children at some of the addresses."

"This drug dealing operation was supplying hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamine across the District and we believe we have impacted the supply chain to our drug community immensely."

Detective Inspector Thomson says the destruction methamphetamine causes to families as well as communities is devastating and is robbing our children's futures.

"We remain committed to the war on methamphetamine and reducing the harm it causes, through our organised crime and methamphetamine control strategies. It is part of our commitment to the New Zealand Police Prevention First strategy and we will continue to be proactive and effective in our response to those responsible."

He says this operation is the biggest so far this year.

"In the past 15 months, Police across the Wellington District have arrested more than 100 people and recovered tens of thousands of dollars worth of drugs including methamphetamine, as well as numerous firearms and weapons. This shows the scale and prevalence of this destructive drug in our communities and we remain committed to the fight against it."