Police and Customs say they have made a huge dent in the drug market run by organised crime groups. Photo / 123rf
Police and Customs say they have made a huge dent in the drug market run by organised crime groups. Photo / 123rf
Police have arrested 190 people and seized more than $100 million worth of drugs in a week as part of a major transtasman operation aimed at “slashing at the pockets of organised crime groups”.
Police and Customs staff in New Zealand worked alongside Australian authorities as part of Taskforce Vitreus, a working group focused on drugs and their harm to communities.
Under the banner of Taskforce Vitreus, NZ Police, NZ Customs and Australian authorities seized more than A$93m ($101m) of drugs in a week, a significant loss for criminal entities.
Between Monday, August 19, and Friday, August 23, agencies on both sides of the Tasman ran an operation that resulted in 190 arrests, 14 warrants across the North Island, 179 charges laid against 122 people, and the seizure of three shotguns and a .22 rifle.
A significant quantity of drugs, including more than 4kg of methamphetamine and 25kg of pseudoephedrine, was also seized in New Zealand.
Police have arrestd 190 people in NZ and Australia in a transtasman operation targeting organised crime groups and drugs.
It comes just weeks after Taskforce Morpheus, another joint operation between New Zealand and Australian authorities, targeting motorcycle gangs.
National Organised Crime Group director Detective Superintendent Greg Williams said it was “a significant loss for criminal entities that wallow in the misery they create”.
He said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to “hit New Zealand’s illicit drug supply lines” and the number of arrests reflected the risk drug suppliers and dealers were willing to take to make money.
“This wasn’t an operation targeting the people who smoke a joint at the weekend – Taskforce Vitreus’s week of action targeted the suppliers and organised crime groups that profit from people’s pain,” Williams said.
“We know for a fact that organised crime is a significant driver of harm and illegal activity.
“These groups don’t care about their users or the fact so many people with addiction issues have to steal or rob others to fund their habits.”
Williams said the “criminals” behind the operations “want only the money and the market share”.
“Simply, they don’t care if your house gets broken into, they don’t care if a user ends up in hospital or dies,” he said.
“The only thing that matters to them is getting their next customer.”
Detective Superintendent Greg Williams says the latest operation by police and other authorities was part of ongoing efforts to “hit New Zealand’s illicit drug supply lines”. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Customs’ intelligence analysis and investigations expertise played a “key role” in the operation, said investigations manager Dominic Adams.
“These criminals need to understand that we will respond to their illicit activities with the united forces of our investigations, intelligence and enforcement partners which reach across borders to detect and disrupt the harm and hit the profits of organised crime,” he said.
Williams said the NOCG would continue to work with international counterparts to “stage covert and overt campaigns that target and frustrate criminal entities”.
“There will be more operations like this in the future, and we will do our best to be a thorn deep in their side.”
