Three people have been arrested after police recovered a tonne of pounamu in central Otago and South Westland as part of a crackdown on theft of the stone.
It comes after police raided several properties yesterday.
During the searches, officers recovered a tonne of ponamu of "various sizes".
A 50-year-old man and two women from Tarras and Jackson Bay, aged 42 and 62, have been charged with theft.
The trio were due to appear in the Greymouth District Court next week.
“The operation follows reports of commercial sales of illegally sourced pounamu from the area and an ongoing investigation to track those responsible," Inspector Jacqui Corner said.
"This is a fantastic result but also frustrating, as it involves a taonga allegedly stolen for profit by individuals who, we believe, had no right to claim it.”
Corner said police had been working "closely" with Ngāi Tahu – the sole kaitiaki of pounamu.
“The public are allowed to fossick for pounamu in approved areas, but this quantity can only be described as commercial," Corner said about yesterday's bust.
"But when it comes to what we've found here, it's very different to someone fossicking freely on a beach. This is large-scale theft."
Fossicking for pounamu is only allowed on the beaches of the West Coast, and individuals are limited to only taking what can be carried in one hand. Only Ngāi Tahu can sell the mineral in its raw form, and exporters must seek permission from the Customs Minister, following advice from the iwi, for quantities over 5kg to leave the country.
Ngāi Tahu whānau members are the only ones who can fossick in rivers, but they need a collection permit granted by the kaitiaki rūnanga (guardian).
Yesterday's arrests come weeks after a mother and son were found guilty of attempting to illegally export 17.9kg of the stone to China.
1News has also reported on iwi fears about a rise in pounamu being sold on the black market.
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