A man has been arrested and stripped of assets including two houses, five vehicles and $80,000 cash as part of a police crackdown on organised crime dubbed Operation Yellowstone.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Fischer said two search warrants were carried out at addresses in Hastings and Tauranga last week where the items were seized.
"A 37-year-old man has been remanded in custody and is set to reappear in the Manukau District Court on Friday 22 March facing drug-related charges," said Fischer.
Fisher said seizing assets derived through drug dealing activity "strikes at the heart of what organised crime figures wish to achieve".
"Seizing their riches created by causing harm and distress in the community not only denies them of the satisfaction of enjoying those assets, it also helps provide some restitution for the damage caused to the community," he said.
The arrested man is facing six charges of possession of methamphetamine for supply, 19 charges of supplying methamphetamine, two charges of offering to supply methamphetamine, and one charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.
"He is also due to appear in the Tauranga District Court on May 9 facing two charges of unlawful possession of a restricted weapon."
SHARE ME