Ten firearms, $400,000 in cash and $1.8m worth of assets have been seized by Wellington police after they busted a major methamphetamine ring in the district.
Cash and firearms were seized at the climax of a long-running police investigation into the Wellington meth scene. Photo: NZ Police
Police said six people were arrested today over an investigation targeting the supply and distribution of methamphetamine in the region by members of the Porirua Mongrel Mob.
Several residential properties in Porirua were searched and police have seized about $400,000 in cash, 10 firearms and two stolen motorbikes worth about $30,000.
Police were still to examine a number of safes also found during the searches.
The police asset recovery unit has also seized $1.8m worth of assets, including two residential properties, 13 vehicles, two boats and a jet-ski.
Four people appeared in the Porirua District Court this afternoon.
A 44-year-old man was facing 31 charges including possession of methamphetamine for supply and conspiracy to supply the drug, and a 46-year-old man was facing eight similar charges.
A 40-year-old woman was accused of supplying methamphetamine, and a 23-year-old man of two charges of possession and supply of the drug.
The woman was granted bail but the three men were remanded in custody to reappear in court later this month.
The two other people - a 48-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman - were arrested in Auckland.
Investigation under way 'for some time'
Police said earlier today that the six accused were facing a total 52 combined charges, including supplying a Class A drug, possession to supply a Class A drug, and conspiracy to supply a Class A drug.
Undercover officers and listening devices were used as part of the investigation, which police said had been under way "for some time".
Detective Inspector Mike Arnerich said 150 officers were involved in this morning's operation.
"We have been intercepting a lot of conversations with these members of the drug syndicate and as a result of their conversations - and as a result of other information we've gathered through the infiltration of the Mongrel Mob by undercover officers - our case will be that over the last six months they've distributed about 20kg of methamphetamine."
Mr Arnerich said this morning's arrests would have a "major impact" on the supply chain in the Wellington region, as well as the distribution network in Auckland.
"Methamphetamine is a very harmful and highly addictive drug. We've shown today that police will use everything in our power to dismantle and destroy drug dealing syndicates, and prevent the social cost methamphetamine inflicts on our families and communities."
