Ngā Mihi. It’s great to see more great results coming from districts in the organised crime and drug space to dismantle criminal activities.
Last week saw a Head Hunter’s gang member sentenced to 28 and a half years in prison after being charged with meth manufacturing offences in Northland. A further seven individuals have also been sentenced as part of the wider operation. This is the largest sentence for meth related offending and it was great to hear this significant result for the team up north who worked on this.
Another fantastic result by staff saw a large amount of cash, assets and drugs seized earlier this week with 13 people arrested, including Mongrel Mob members, across the Wellington region. In total, $2.3 million in assets have been restrained including two residential properties, 14 vehicles, three boats, a jetski, and over $400,000 in cash.
On Tuesday, staff in Taranaki arrested three people and recovered than 100kg of cannabis, worth an estimated $1 million, from two properties in New Plymouth and Waitara. This is one of the largest cannabis seizures in recent years and is a great result for local police and communities.
Tuesday also saw staff in Wairoa and Gisborne arrested 12 people as part of a 10-month investigation. The investigation included an undercover component and resulted in seven properties being searched.
All four of these investigations have resulted in a considerable amount of harm being prevented right across the North Island. Unfortunately, it’s not only the user, but their family and community who are affected considerably by these harmful drugs. As shown in the last week, we will continue to target those who want to profit from the significant harm caused by these drugs, and I am extremely proud of the work of every staff member involved in these investigations.
Working in partnership
I was pleased to hear about the involvement of Police staff in Auckland with providing information to the public around the recent Typhoid situation. The Auckland Regional Health Board were grateful for the presence Police provided as they met with community members in shopping areas.
Not only were our staff able to help provide reassurance, but we were able to provide some high visibility to ensure as many people as possible were given information on what they needed to know.
Enjoy and stay safe this long weekend
This long weekend many of us will be enjoying some time out with family and friends, while others will be at work around the clock to ensure we all stay safe.
We all get up to a lot of fun over these long weekends, and we need to ensure we stay safe, no matter what we’re doing. From getting into the outdoors, going on road trips, or sticking around home, we all need to take actions to ensure we all get home safely.
To all our staff, who will also be joined by our colleagues in other emergency services, I want to thank you for your hard work over this time. It’s sometimes difficult to be at work while family and friends celebrate, but I urge you to take some time in the near future to take a break and enjoy the company of those close to you.
Once again, enjoy the long weekend and stay safe.
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