Gang members arrested as police crush drug trade

Christchurch District Court coat of arms WGC 12May12 -WTA 12May12 -NAD 12May12 -BOP 12May12 -WTA 14Jul12 -HBT 14Jul12 -WGC 14Jul12 -NAD 14Jul12 -RDP 14Jul12 -BOP 14Jul12 - WTA 19Jul12 - HBT 0

A major crackdown on the drug trade in the Wellington region, which saw a Masterton man arrested, has netted eight more suspects.

More drugs, cash and assets worth thousands of dollars were seized on Thursday, during phase two of Operation Fantail, an on-going 18 month investigation into the Wellington drug trade.

Police arrested eight Highway 61 gang members and associates who are to appear in Wellington district courts this week.

Earlier in June, a gang associate from Masterton, Jamie Liu, was arrested in the first phase of the operation and charged with taking part in an organised criminal group supplying methamphetamine and three charges of offering to supply P, a Class A drug.

After carrying out nine search warrants in Wellington City and the Hutt Valley, police found 11.5 grams of P, or methamphetamine, one litre of fantasy and assets worth $100,000. They also used a "cash dog" to find $80,000 in cash.

The dogs are trained to detect large amounts of money and are partially funded through the sale of assets forfeited to the Crown.

In total, methamphetamine with an estimated street value of up to $200,000, two litres of fantasy worth $20,000, $200,000 in cash, and assets worth $160,000 including sports cars and a Harley Davidson motorcycle have been seized, said Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Moore from the Organised Financial Crime Agency of New Zealand.

"Our terminations have shown that members of outlaw motorcycle gangs are facilitating and financing large parts of the illegal drug market in Wellington, the Wairarapa, Manawatu and the Hawke's Bay," he said.

Six other people, including a Tribesman gang member, a Highway 61 associate and a Mongrel Mob associate were also arrested at the same time as Liu. Mr Moore said the operation showed rival gang members were co-operating in the sale and supply of methamphetamine and fantasy.

Seizing assets was a strong deterrent to gangs and reduced the ability to offend in the future, he said.