Please attribute to Detective Inspector Paul Newman, National Organised Crime Group:
Police have arrested eight people following an ongoing methamphetamine operation linked to the Head Hunters Motorcycle gang.
Police launched Operation Boeing in late 2016 and focused on a patched member of the Head Hunters West Chapter who was allegedly involved in importing Actifed from Fiji and overseeing a range of people involved in manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine through our communities.
Actifed contains pseudoephedrine which is used to manufacture meth.
The drugs were allegedly smuggled into the country on board a container vessel by a member of the crew. On 10 December he, along with the patched Head Hunter were arrested in Auckland allegedly in the possession of four kilograms of Actifed.
This morning, five addresses were raided across Auckland and a further six people were arrested. We cannot rule out the possibility of further arrests.
The addresses were in the suburbs of; Mount Eden, Pakuranga Heights, Mangere East, One Tree Hill and Papakura.
Detective Inspector Paul Newman of the National Organised Crime Group says Police are not surprised that once again we see the Head Hunters Motorcycle gang linked to this type of offending.
“The Head Hunters have absolutely no care or regard for the harm they inflict on families and whanau by manufacturing and supplying methamphetamine. They continue to take advantage of the addictiveness of this drug in order to profit from it.
“Police would like to acknowledge the assistance of Customs in this operation. It is our continued work with our partners that is seeing us significantly disrupt these organised crime groups.
“We are focused on trying to assist users by putting them in touch with local support services. There are many support services and organisations in our communities that can assist. The Drug Alcohol Helpline (0800 787 797 or alcoholdrughelp.org.nz) is a great place to seek information and support to begin removing yourself from the harm caused by these types of drugs.”
Those arrested have been charged with the following:
• A 62 year old man charged with money laundering x 2 and participates in an Organised Criminal Group
• A 35 year old man will be charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, supplying methamphetamine, conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and participates in an Organised Criminal Group
• A 26 year old woman will be charged with conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and participates in an Organised Criminal Group
• A 39 year old man will be charged with supplying methamphetamine and participates in an Organised Criminal Group
• A 41 year old woman charged with supplying methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for supply, offering to supply methamphetamine and participates in an Organised Criminal Group
• 37 year old man who will be charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, supplying methamphetamine, possession of pseudoephedrine for supply and participates in an organised criminal group.
From 10 December 2017
• A 40 year old man charged with importing pseudoephedrine and possession of pseudoephedrine for supply
• A 28 year old man charged with importing pseudoephedrine and possession of pseudoephedrine for supply
They are all due to appear in the Auckland District Court today.
ENDS
Shelley Nahr/NZ Police
