Aussie gang presence growing: cops

Motorcycles were among a number of vehicles taken by police yesterday. Photo / Supplied

Luxury cars and motorbikes, drugs and thousands of dollars have been seized in a major police crackdown on organised crime.

Officers from across the North Island joined forces in an operation targeting gangs - including newcomers the Australian Rebels - accused of making and dealing methamphetamine (P).

Police yesterday said the operation exposed an organised and large-scale P-distribution network, and highlighted the fact that gangs were putting aside their rivalries to co-operate on illegal activity.

Thirty people were arrested and more arrests are likely.

It further showed those arrested were not only earning big profits from selling and producing the drug, but some were living off the taxpayer while doing so.

"The majority of people involved in producing and dealing methamphetamine are drawing Winz benefits and squeezing the taxpayer dry while making amounts of money that many people can only dream of," said Detective Inspector Chris Bensemann of Central Districts police.

A clandestine drug laboratory was discovered in Murupara, in the Bay of Plenty, and the records of a Palmerston North finance company being investigated for money laundering were seized.

Mr Bensemann said gangs were "pedalling misery in our communities", feeding addictions and exposing children to toxic chemicals used to make drugs.

"If you think you want to join gangs, be involved in methamphetamine and organised crime -it will be your downfall. Police are focused on this type of offending and will do everything possible to cut off the temporary wealth of gangs by applying at every opportunity to have criminal assets and proceeds forfeited," he said.

More than 40 search warrants were executed, resulting in the seizure of 29 vehicles, including BMWs, Mercedes and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Some $120,000 in cash, guns, gang patches, cannabis and P were also recovered.

The operation, codenamed Stamp, showed the increased presence of the Rebels in New Zealand, but it would be optimistic to think the raid would mark the end of the gang's presence in this country, Mr Bensemann said.

"They're new to New Zealand. We saw this on the horizon, that they wanted to come here and make money out of criminal business and that other gangs were involved."

Police Minister Judith Collins said 150 police staff were involved in the operation, and yesterday was " a bad day to be a criminal drug dealer".

"The actions of police will have a significant impact on the supply of methamphetamine.

"Not only will this mean less crime and fewer victims, but it will slow the pipeline of money that is the lifeblood of organised crime."

Many of those arrested appeared in court yesterday, with others set to appear today.