Police have brought down a sophisticated drug dealing and smuggling operation, making 12 arrests and seizing $8 million worth of drugs in Northland.
Operation Freya was a six-month-long investigation led by the Northland District Police organised crime unit.
The operation was set up to investigate the smuggling of drugs from international destinations, including Africa, and the subsequent sale and supply in New Zealand.
It stems from seizure information that customs regularly shares with police, which showed that a number of drug packages were destined for Northland.
Police say Between March 2020 and June 2021, customs intercepted 15 separate air cargo or mail consignments. The drugs were found hidden in a range of concealment's such as books, clothing and framed art.
Search warrants took place across Northland including Morningside, Rāwhiti, Ruakākā and Whananaki, as well as Rotorua.
Eleven men aged between 27 and 56, and a 25-year-old woman have been arrested so far.
They are set to face a raft of serious drugs charges relating to the importation, manufacturing, and supply of methamphetamine.
Other charges include conspiring to import methamphetamine, MDMA and pseudoephedrine, as well as participating in an organised crime group.
Overall 17kg of methamphetamine, 5.44kg of MDMA and a kg of pseudoephedrine were seized, which are worth a combined value of $8m in street value.
Those charged are set to appear in Whangārei District Court tomorrow, on 13 November.
Police said further arrests cannot be ruled out at this stage.
Police have also restrained around $240,000 worth of assets, including a motorbike, boat and vehicles, under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act.
Around $70,000 in cash, and a quantity of methamphetamine along with two firearms and ammunition were also seized.
Detective Inspector Bridget Doell says the investigation identified an alleged criminal syndicate based in Ruakākā, whose key leaders were in the Headhunters Motorcycle Gang and Mongrel Mob organised criminal group.
“The syndicate’s offending spread across New Zealand and those arrested today were allegedly involved in a variety of roles and levels of culpability across this syndicate.
“Ultimately, they have allegedly tried to import, manufacture or on-sell drugs into the Northland market, which currently has some of the highest drug use per capita wastewater readings in New Zealand.”
Detective Inspector Doell says closing this operation down, has prevented approximately $25 million worth of social harm across the Northland district.
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