Large meth haul found in police raids

Fire Service and a decontamination tent set up near the scene of last week's clan-lab discovery. Photo / APNZ

More than a million dollars worth of methamphetamine and about $35,000 in cash has been netted after police raided four central Wellington properties.

The raids included the apartment in Chews Lane, across the road from the Wellington Central police station, where a clan lab was discovered on Friday morning.

Since then three other properties and vehicles were searched, which resulted in more than a kilo of crystal meth being seized along with the money, $1100 worth of Sky City casino chips and machines that counted money, Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said.

It was a "significant seizure" that would put a dent in the capital's drug scene, he said.

"It disrupts the chain because [buyers] have got to find another seller."

An inquiry into the group had been going on for some months, Mr Thomson said.

They had "no conscience in and around what this drug does to the community".

Mr Thomson said police were investigating whether this latest haul was connected to $2 million worth of methamphetamine seized by police and New Zealand Customs last December.

Five people were arrested following that operation.

Police were "keeping an open mind" on how many people were involved in the drug ring.

"This is a high level commercial operation," Mr Thomson said.

Two of the four arrested appeared in Wellington District Court today, with one facing a further methamphetamine-related charge. The other two would appear at the court later this month.

"The public continues to be our eyes and ears, and this discovery shows that it can happen anywhere. Information from the public ensures that the unlawful activity of such groups is brought to a stop.

"The community impact of methamphetamine continues to be a cause of misery which preys on the vulnerable."

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By the numbers:

* $35,000 seized;

* at least 44 bags of meth, worth $28,000 each;

* street worth of the drugs about $1.2m; and

* $1100 worth of Sky City Casino chips