Police find drugs, guns and stolen goods at Bay properties

Tauranga police have made two arrests over the past two days which they hope will resolve a recent spate of burglaries in the Whakamarama area.

On August 3, police received reports of suspicious activity at an orchard and apprehended a 27-year-old man who was found in possession of a .22 rifle and methamphetamine.

He appeared in the Tauranga District Court this morning. He was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of methamphetamine, being unlawfully in an enclosed yard and breaching a protection order.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner said police were now working to identify the owners of the recovered property.

"It's extremely rewarding to know that members of the local community are looking out for each other in this way.

"By communicating any concerns with police, we are able to resolve more crimes.

"Particularly in rural areas, communities' assistance is vital to keeping police informed on crime and helping us find offenders."

Further enquires led Tauranga police to a residence on Old Highway, where they located a substantial amount of stolen property, which is believed to be linked to recent burglaries in the area.

More firearms and a suspected methamphetamine lab were also discovered.

As a result, a 42-year-old man appeared in the Tauranga District Court on this afternoon.

He was charged with possession for supply of methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm.

"In Whakamarama, we have had a recent burglary problem and we hope that these arrests provide some reassurance to the victims and their neighbours," said Mr Turner.

"We'll do our best to reunite the property with its rightful owners and we'd like to thank the public for their assistance, which resulted in these arrests and the recovery of this property."