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Upper Hutt police arrested 13 people for drug offences during the weekend, and seized two indoor cannabis-growing rigs and a sawn-off shotgun.
The weekend's raids , carried out under 11 search warrants, were part of Operation Relentless, an area-wide crackdown on crime .
Acting Upper Hutt Police Area Commander Mike Hill said almost all of the area's police officers were stepping out from behind their desks and onto the streets.
Customs officers and military police and a drug dog were also participating in the operation, he said.
It is modelled on a procedure in England, where police dedicate a whole day to dealing with a particular type of crime.
Staff were diverted to the investigation into the drug robbery last Thursday, in which 21-year-old Steven Stone was stabbed to death, Mr Hill said.
"Despite having a major homicide investigation under way, we have been able to continue much of what we planned for Operation Relentless," he said.
Police have also caught 50 people driving through stop signs, 10 running red lights, three travelling at speeds of over 139km/h and 10 people were caught driving over the breath-alcohol limit.
Officers had also made home visits to families they deemed "at risk" of domestic violence, Mr Hill said.
- NZPA
