By ELEANOR BLACK
Rotorua's biggest drug bust in a year has put a large network of alleged "tinny" houses in the city out of business.
About 30 people, said to be drug-dealers with gang connections, were arrested yesterday as a two-month surveillance called Operation Snag ended.
They are alleged to have sold, distributed and supplied LSD, methamphetamines, cannabis oil and cannabis at 20 private homes in Koutu, Western Heights, Ngongotaha, Fordlands, Fenton Park and the eastern suburbs.
Police were tipped off to the possible location of tinny houses - centres for drug-dealing - throughout the city by neighbours who felt threatened, said Detective Sergeant Dennis Murphy.
Customers on their way to the houses would often burgle a nearby address and use the stolen goods as barter for drugs, or sell them for cash.
Members of the public also noticed unusual traffic at some of the homes that were raided. Cars came and went at all hours, parking outside the houses briefly before leaving again, said Detective Sergeant Murphy.
Forty police officers helped with Operation Snag, watching the tinny houses, posing as customers buying drugs - and making arrests.
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