Police raided nine Western Bay houses with gang links this morning in connection with the homicide inquiry into Tauranga man Darrell Crawford's disappearance.
Nine search warrants were executed at residential addresses in Merivale, Welcome Bay, Mount Maunganui and Arataki simultaneously from 7.30am and were still taking place when the Bay of Plenty Times went to print.
Crimes Services manager Detective Inspector Rob Jones said the operation targeted the illicit drug offending being conducted by members of the Mongrel Mob and their close associates.
Mr Jones said the raids followed on from warrants executed in the Western Bay last week connected with the homicide cases of Mr Crawford, 35, and William Taikato, 40.
Mr Jones said the warrants were focused on the supply and sale of methamphetamine.
"I would hope that the message we are trying to convey to criminals who deal in this drug and to the wider community, is that police will not stand by and allow these criminals to profit from their illegal activities," he said.
Mr Crawford and Mr Taikato both went missing at the end of last year. Both were involved in the drug scene and had gang connections.
Their bodies have yet to be found.
Mr Crawford's father Dave Crawford told the Bay Times that each time something new developed, it filled him with hope that the homicide inquiry was developing.
"It sort of makes you feel like you're getting closer, exactly how close, I don't know," he said. "It does give you some sense of hope."
Mr Crawford said he thought of his son often. He was always in the back of his mind.
"We try and block it out if we can while we're working ... it gets to the stage sometimes where you can't block it out," he said.
"Something is always in the back of your mind, it's always there, it never goes away.
"You see a lot of different things of what he used to do and what he used to be like, it's never far away."
Mr Crawford said he had faith in the direction the police were taking but did not know a lot about what they were doing.
"I think they're heading in the right direction ... it's going to be a long drawn out investigation I think," he said.
"What they're looking for and what we're looking for are two different things, that's the unfortunate bit. They don't always tell you everything so you don't know."
Those who are arrested in the raids this morning would appear in court today charged with supplying and conspiring to supply methamphetamine.
Murder cops raid gang houses
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