Police have shut down four methamphetamine labs, recovered 48 firearms, destroyed more than 45,000 cannabis plants and arrested 218 people in a three-month operation in Northland.
Detective Sergeant John Miller, officer in charge of dealing with organised crime in Northland, said the four P labs were found inKaitaia, Kaikohe west, the Bay of Islands and Dargaville.
Two of the labs were commercial-sized operations and material found was still being analysed.
A total of 23 indoor cannabis growing operations were shut down, while 17kg of dried cannabis and 5.5g of P were seized.
Police also recovered stolen property valued at $366,000, including a stolen digger and truck near Mangonui, quad bikes and electrical and household items.
Those arrested are to appear in Northland courts within the next two weeks to face a variety of drug-related charges including manufacturing, cultivation and possession for supply.
The Northland-wide operation began in December and covered an area from Whangarei to the Far North and Kaipara. Up to 30 police were involved in each stage.
The effect of the operation on the region's illegal drug industry was hard to measure but Mr Miller said it would have a big impact on smaller areas "where we have cleaned them out".
