Alleged major drug syndicate busted, 19 arrests

Members of the police's Armed Offenders Squad took part in a major police operation today. File photo / NZ Herald

Police in Auckland have arrested 19 people and seized about $14 million of assets from an alleged drug syndicate thought to have been responsible for producing and supplying the bulk of the country's ecstasy.

This morning more than 200 police, including the armed offenders squad, searched 45 addresses throughout the Auckland region, the result of a 12-month investigation called Operation Arc.

Police located eight pill presses at three locations - Onehunga, Highbrook and Albany - as well as several dies for the presses, kilograms of compound ready to be pressed, tens of thousands of pills and a loaded shotgun.

Among the assets seized were residential properties, several high-value motor vehicles, jet skis, a boat, pill presses and dies.

Detective Inspector Bruce Good said many of the pills and tablets seized comprised various mixtures of compounds, the effects of which could be fatal if consumed.

Some were being manufactured on premises where rat poison was also being made, he said.

"We believe the syndicate we have interrupted today is responsible for the bulk of the manufacturing and supply of ecstasy in New Zealand which involves tens of thousands of pills a week going out into the market where people pay at least $40 a pill."

Fourteen of those arrested were to appear in Auckland District Court this afternoon on a raft of drug-related and criminal group participation charges.

The other six are to appear tomorrow.

A warrant has also been issued for Allen Bryan Cho, 36, who is alleged to be linked to the drug operation.

Police are concerned that Cho, an Auckland man, may attempt to use false documentation to leave the country.