17 Jan 2018

Two arrested after police uncover meth lab

11:11 am on 17 January 2018

Two people have been arrested after police discovered a clandestine lab in Auckland this morning.

The scene at the Invermay Avenue property.

The scene near the Invermay Avenue property. Photo: Supplied to RNZ

Police said they searched two addresses in Mt Roskill and Albany which led to the arrests.

A 35-year-old man from Albany and a 26-year-old man from Auckland Central have both been charged with multiple offences related to the manufacturing, possession and supply of methamphetamine.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Richard Sami from Avondale Police said they uncovered a large, active clan lab at one of the addresses.

"This was a complex lab in operation that was used for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine, which as we know causes significant harm in our community.

"We want to reassure the community that we will continue to actively seek out those responsible for making and supplying this harmful drug and hold them to account, so that we can keep our communities safe," he said.

The two men are due to appear in the Auckland District Court today.

Earlier this morning, Invermay Avenue was blocked between Dominion Road and Hardley Avenue.

A neighbour and her family watched the operation unfold about 7am.

The woman, who lives four doors up from the cordoned-off property, said her seven-year-old son woke her wanting to take photos of the firetrucks on the street.

She was surprised when she got up and saw the road closed off by the Armed Offenders Squad and police.

Police are searching a property on Invermay Ave.

Police guard the property. Photo: Supplied to RNZ

"I saw people on their knees in Tyvec suits with their hands behind their backs," she said.

The neighbour was impressed with how smoothly the event happened.

"It was a quiet operation, given all the people that were on the street," she said.

The two cuffed people were taken away not long after and the road was clear by the time she went to work about 8am.