Eight arrests as police smash drug smuggling linked to Head Hunters

A video outlining New Zealand drug use statistics

Eight people are due to appear in court today after police intercepted a shipment of drugs being smuggled into the country from Fiji.

National Organised Crime Group Detective Inspector Paul Newman said six men and two women were arrested after an ongoing methamphetamine operation linked to the Head Hunters motorcycle gang.

Today's arrests are linked to Operation Boeing, which was launched late last year and focused on a patched member of the Head Hunters' West Chapter who was allegedly involved in importing Actifed from Fiji and who oversaw people involved in manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine in the community.

Actifed is a cold and allergy drug that contains pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in making methamphetamine.

Newman said this morning police raided five addresses across Auckland in Mt Eden, Pakuranga Heights, Mangere East, One Tree Hill and Papakura.

The six face a raft of charges including money laundering, participating in an Organised Criminal Group, manufacturing and supplying methamphetamine and supplying and possession of pseudoehpedrine.

It follows two arrests last week when a 40-year-old man and 28-year-old man were charged with importing and possessing pseudoephedrine.

Newman said more arrests are possible.

He acknowledged the role of Customs in the bust.

""It is our continued work with our partners that is seeing us significantly disrupt these organised crime groups."

Newman said police were not surprised to see the Head Hunters motorcycle gang linked to this type of offending.

"The Head Hunters have absolutely no care or regard for the harm they inflict on families and whanau by manufacturing and supplying methamphetamine. They continue to take advantage of the addictiveness of this drug in order to profit from it," he said.

Those arrested so far include:

• A 62-year-old man charged with money laundering x 2 and participating in an organised criminal group
• A 35-year-old man will be charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, supplying methamphetamine, conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and participating in an organised criminal group
• A 26-year-old woman will be charged with conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and participating in an organised criminal group
• A 39-year-old man will be charged with supplying methamphetamine and participating in an organised criminal group
• A 41-year-old woman charged with supplying methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for supply, offering to supply methamphetamine and participating in an organised criminal group
• A 37-year-old man will be charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, supplying methamphetamine, possession of pseudoephedrine for supply and participating in an organised criminal group.
• A 40-year-old man charged with importing pseudoephedrine and possession of pseudoephedrine for supply
• A 28-year-old man charged with importing pseudoephedrine and possession of pseudoephedrine for supply