Pubdate: Fri, 22 Dec 2006
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2006 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300
Author: Elizabeth Binning

POLICE SWOOPS NET $10M IN DRUG-RING LOOT

Police have seized cash and drugs worth nearly $10 million, a 
$150,000 car and three homes during swoops on drug syndicates in the 
past two weeks.

The cash, which in one case was too bulky to fit into the boot of a 
police car, is alleged to have been the profits of dealing in 
methamphetamine, the highly addictive and destructive drug known in 
its pure form as P.

Superintendent Ted Cox, commander of Auckland police's metro crime 
and operations support, said police had mounted five operations in 
the past fortnight, most in Auckland.

They have targeted distribution and money laundering rings.

They have seized methamphetamine worth $4.46 million, firearms and 
stolen property, a car, three houses worth up to $1.5 million and 
$4.76 million in cash.

More than 35 people have been arrested.

In the most recent operation, after which two people were charged 
with money laundering, $950,000 was found at one house, some of it 
hidden under beds.

Earlier in the week $250,000 was seized from people arrested during 
Operation Ice Age, and $2.5 million was later found at a business.

In May, police and Customs officers seized methamphetamine and 
pseudoephedrine worth $135 million hidden inside two shipping containers.

Mr Cox said the the operations - many of which involved up to a year 
of investigations - would hopefully reduce the supply of drugs by 
disrupting some groups and putting others out of business.

"However, experience also tells us that the profits from this type of 
criminal activity will lead others to become involved and the 
networks to quickly re-establish."

Mr Cox said most of the people arrested were part of organised 
criminal syndicates. Some were gang members, mainly at the lower end 
of the chain.

Mr Cox said research was continuing into understanding the drug 
market and designing ways of disrupting it. Results due next year 
would hopefully show how much effect the police operations had on the 
availability of methamphetamine and for how long.

Giving people good information that deterred them from taking drugs 
or helped them with addictions would help reduce the demand for drugs 
and increase community safety.

Drug Foundation executive director Ross Bell said the results of the 
recent operations showed that the Government's focus and allocation 
of resources in the last Budget for dealing with the methamphetamine 
problem was paying off.

But he agreed with Mr Cox that the problem would start to abate only 
once the demand for the drugs was reduced.

For that to happen, education and dealing with drug addiction had to 
be given the same amount of money as police and Customs got.

"We need to have a better balance between the good work of police and 
Customs, but also new drug prevention and demand reduction 
programmes. Some of that would include better drug education in schools.

"If we put the same investment into schools that we have given to 
police and Customs, in the long term that would be better use of resources."

Dope Busts

* Operation Major, May: 95kg of crystal meth, 150kg of 
pseudoephedrine and firearms seized. The drugs, valued at up to $135 
million, were hidden in two shipping containers. Seven arrests.

* Operation Manu, 12-month investigation ending last week: $1.5 
million of meth and $867,000 cash seized. Sixteen arrests.

* Operation Hose, last week: Targeting street dealing syndicate. $1.5 
million of meth and $193,000 cash seized. Three properties held, 
pending "proceeds of crime" action.

* Operation Dolmio, Tuesday: Targeting a Christchurch supply network 
allegedly obtaining drugs from Auckland. Meth valued at $90,000, guns 
and stolen property found at an Auckland house. Nine arrests.

* Operation Ice Age, this week: Targeting a distribution ring and 
money laundering in Auckland. Ten arrests during operation. About 55g 
of meth found. Cash seized - $250,000 from individuals and $2.5 
million from a business.

* Operation Palace/Lotus, this week: Street-level dealing and money 
laundering. A $150,000 car, firearms and $950,000 in cash seized. Two arrests.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine