Police have filed more than 200 charges against 20 people and seized more than 260kg of illicit substances as part of an continued Trans-Tasman anti-drugs operation.
Throughout the second week of August, officers executed search warrants in Auckland suburbs including Morningside, Henderson, Silverdale and West Harbour. Police also carried out warrants in Wellington's Churton Park and Waikanae on the Kāpiti Coast.
Gang members and associates were arrested, drugs seized, and a clandestine laboratory uncovered under Taskforce Morpheus— a joint Australasian taskforce focused on "targeting criminal activity committed by motorcycle gangs".
Authorities revealed details about what they called a "week of action" this afternoon.
It follows several big operations which resulted in the seizure of large quantities of methamphetamine in Auckland over the past month.
58kgs of meth seized at Dairy Flat site
Police said officers executed two simultaneous search warrants on August 5 in Henderson and West Harbour, where a "senior gang member and a gang prospect" were arrested.
"At the West Harbour address, police located a clandestine laboratory where the items for manufacturing methamphetamine, including precursor substances, were uncovered."
Officers seized 68 LSD tablets, 180g of methamphetamine, nine unidentified pills, gang clothing, and around $3000 in cash.
Two men, aged 29 and 35, were arrested and were facing charges including possession for supply of methamphetamine, and possession of precursor equipment and materials.
On August 6, at a Churton Park address in Wellington, police arrested a gang associate and seized approximately $20,000 cash, a handgun, around 4g of methamphetamine and items consistent with methamphetamine supply.
The 43-year-old man has been charged with possession for supply of methamphetamine, and possession of a handgun and ammunition.
The next day, police in Waikanae arrested a "gang associate" and seized "around 400 grams of cannabis, 550 millilitres of butanediol (similar to GBL or GHB), psilocybin (magic mushrooms), testosterone, and items consistent with drug dealing".
A 44-year-old has been charged with possession for supply of Class B and C substances.
Later on August 8, police seized 58kg of methamphetamine, two handguns and 111 rounds of ammunition at a Dairy Flat address, where they arrested a patched Rebels gang member.
The gang member was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, importation of a Class A drug, and possession of a Class A drug for supply, according to police.
A spokesperson said he was on active charges relating to a clandestine drug lab and has been remanded in custody.
Two additional operations, "Havana" and "Fix", disrupted major drug smuggling syndicates in Auckland last month, police said in early August.
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