Police discover meth labs in 'top end' holiday accommodation

File photo / NZ Herald

Police have found three methamphetamine labs while investigating a crime syndicate that rents "top end" holiday accommodation, motels and baches to make P.

Northland police carried out 10 search warrants in Whangarei, Wellsford and Auckland on Tuesday and uncovered three methamphetamine labs in the areas.

One lab found in Howick, Auckland was operating out of a shipping container and a second lab was discovered in a Whangarei storage unit. A third was in Pakiri, north of Auckland.

Through the searches, police uncovered 10gm of methamphetamine as well as firearms, chemical components, utensils and some cannabis at the various lab sites.

At a Wellsford address, the search found stolen laptops, ammunition and utensils for cooking and manufacturing methamphetamine. Further north at a Whangarei address, police found cannabis oil, cannabis utensils, indoor cultivation equipment and two guns.

The crime syndicate regularly rents motels, baches and holiday accommodation to use as a base for manufacturing P.

Northland police communications officer Sarah Kennett said the group normally targets accommodation along coastal areas of Auckland and Northland, and on beaches such as Pakiri.

The group also uses storage units for their equipment and chemicals, such as the Whangarei address.

One man has been arrested in relation to Tuesday's searches.

The 37-year-old south Auckland man appeared in Manukau District Court on charges of possessing methamphetamine for supply, possessing precursor equipment and chemicals to manufacture methamphetamine, and for breaching home detention conditions.

He was remanded in custody and will appear in court again on September 29.

Police are looking for more people in connection to the labs, said Northland acting district manager Paul Dimery.

"There are still a number of offenders to locate in relation to these search warrants, however we are still actively looking for these people and will find them."

He urged landlords and agents to carefully examine who rents from them.

"If people are aware of any suspicious activity in their rental properties then they should contact Police immediately, as some of these offenders are known to carry firearms and are willingly contaminating top end holiday accommodations."

Mr Dimery asked anyone with information to phone their local police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.