Ecstasy ring bust: National Organised Crime Group's Acting Detective Inspector John Brunton addresses the media.
Police have smashed a drug syndicate after a series of raids led to seizures of $10 million in assets - including a Ferrari and a Porsche - and 26 arrests.
Detectives say they have made a significant dent in the Auckland drug scene after also seizing property, guns and $600,000 with the luxury vehicles. They also found commercial grade drug-making equipment.
The vehicles alone were valued at $1.2m and include a 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista (worth more than $630,000) and a 2020 Porsche 911 Coupe (worth more than $230,000).
A 2019 Audi Q8, two Ford Ranger Raptors, a Range Rover Sport and two Harley-Davidson motorbikes were also restrained, police said.
The seven-month operation targeted the importation, production and supply of illegal drugs including methamphetamine and MDMA.
Police today said about 100 staff raided 34 properties throughout the region, including in the wealthy suburbs of Kohimarama, St John, Auckland Central, Remuera, Kumeu and Westmere, after a long-running investigation Operation Cincinnati, run by the National Organised Crime Group.
Drugs, guns and cash were seized in the raids. Photo / Police
The National Organised Crime Group's acting Detective Inspector John Brunton told media: "I think we've stopped a large commercial operation".
They seized drugs including large numbers of pills and powders, and two large commercial grade pill presses capable of producing hundreds of ecstasy pills per day.
More than 20,000 "Pink Porsche" ecstasy pills were also found.
Brunton said he was unable to say the exact quantity of drugs found and their dollar value at this stage.
But he was confident police had got to the high end of the drug syndicate, which did not appear to have any gang links.
"We're happy that we're taking assets off the right people and arrested the right people at the top doing the organising, the importing, the manufacturing and the producing," he said.
Last week, police seized 25 guns, including military-style semi-automatic firearms and a shotgun, along with methamphetamine and cannabis from a North Shore home.
Two men, both aged 54, were arrested in relation to firearms and drug offending.
Police said about 100 staff raided 34 properties throughout Auckland region after a long-running investigation Operation Cincinnati. Photo / via Police
Police said about 100 staff raided 34 properties throughout Auckland region after a long-running investigation Operation Cincinnati. Photo / via Police
Police said about 100 staff raided 34 properties throughout Auckland region after a long-running investigation Operation Cincinnati. Photo / via Police
Just days earlier police arrested six people and seized seven high-end luxury vehicles, a boat and three motorbikes - with a combined value of more than $1.2 million.
The luxury vehicles included a $450,000 Lamborghini Huracan and three new 2020 Mercedes-Benz models, including a $280,000 G-wagon.
Three properties in Half Moon Bay, Te Atatū and New Lynn - worth at least $3.3m - were restrained and about $250,000 in cash was also seized.
This month police arrested 100 people, seizing 30 guns, high-value vehicles and motorbikes, $350,000 and 1kg of meth after raiding 40 premises across the Waikato.
