Council tenants accused of operating P lab

Two men facing charges after police discovered a methamphetamine laboratory at a Nelson City Council-owned property have been remanded in custody.

Both men were given interim name suppression when they appeared before justice of the peace Warwick Blair in the Nelson District Court on Wednesday.

Their arrest followed a police raid on a home near Victory School on Tuesday. It was part of Operation GM, which has so far seen 18 arrests.

Nelson City Council chief executive Viesturs Altments said the discovery was "deeply concerning".

"We all know [methamphetamine] has been here but I think this is the first time we've had a P lab in Nelson city."

The property was bought by the council for a roading project that had not gone ahead and had been rented out.

- NZPA