Five Million Dollars worth of Methamphetamine seized in Asian Organised Crime Bust

An Asian Organised Crime Ring has been busted today after the termination of a year long operation by the Organised and Financial Crime Agency NZ (OFCANZ) and Auckland Metro Crime and Operations Support (AMCOS).

Five kilos of methamphetamine worth approx $5 million, two kilos of ContacNT, with a street value of $500,000, and $236,000 in cash, as well as firearms and ammunition were seized from addresses searched simultaneously in Auckland this morning.

Detective Inspector Stephen Wood from OFCANZ said six people have been arrested and will face charges relating to the Class A drug methamphetamine.

"The offenders were involved in Asian Organised Crime, running importation and distribution networks for methamphetamine."

"This would be one of the most significant seizures of methamphetamine made within New Zealand." Mr Wood said.

Detective Inspector Bruce Good from AMCOS said today's termination is also related to arrests made in Waikato a few weeks ago where 8 people were charged with drug related offences."

"Those arrests and today's operation signify a major disruption to organised crime networks in the North Island," Mr Good said.

The operation, codenamed Acacia, involved staff from OFCANZ and AMCOS and a range of other government agencies.

Inspector Wood said it was a true collaboration between agencies.

"OFCANZ and AMCOS investigators have worked with a range of different government agencies including police, customs, immigration and SFO. Everybody involved has contributed to unravelling a complex organised crime group throughout the year-long investigation," Mr Wood said.

ENDS

Jane Archibald
PNHQ
027 568 0267