Rotorua police raid homes in large drug bust

By RAYLENE KEENAN

ROTORUA - More than 40 homes were raided in a police drug operation in Rotorua today, netting large quantities of cannabis and methamphetamine.

This morning's raid, the second in Rotorua in two weeks, targeted local gangs and drug dealers.

Police said it concerned them that some of those they arrested were already on bail facing charges from the raid two weeks ago.

Operation Snag II, a follow-on to Operation Snag which finished on February 14, involved over 80 police from as far afield as Auckland, Waikato and other parts of the Bay of Plenty, district crime manager Detective Inspector Graham Bell said.

Arrests were still being made this morning and exact numbers were not known.

Police had found "quantities" of LSD, methamphetamine, cannabis plant and cannabis oil at the homes.

People involved were likely to face charges ranging from selling cannabis through to selling Class A, or hard drugs.

Mr Bell said the operation had targeted local gangs and drug dealers but a concerning feature was that some of those arrested this morning were already on bail after being arrested two weeks ago.

"These people have displayed an open contempt for the law and our courts. They have gone directly back to dealing in drugs virtually within hours of getting bail on serious dealing charges," he said.

Their behaviour had shown "contempt for society's laws".

Criminal "families" led an "endemic lifestyle that revolves around drug abuse as normal behaviour from a very young age", Mr Bell said.

The undercover operations had managed to infiltrate the drug business in the Rotorua area, but Mr Bell said hard drug dealing was becoming all too common.

He has already spoken out this week about the prevalence of hard drug use in the Bay of Plenty and the possible connection with a rise in violent crime.

"The amount of LSD that appears to be out there is a matter of extreme concern.

"We needed to bring in more staff from other areas to help us because it simply became such a huge operation. We have been concerned that people are not deterred by being on bail and being charged with offences and this just illustrates exactly how bad the situation is here," he said.

The operations showed drug abuse in Rotorua was "not about average young New Zealanders experimenting with a harmless weed".

The successful "double-banger" operation had meant police could crack down on drug criminals in quick succession, taking them by surprise.

However, smaller crimes such as burglary and theft were still at the base of drug dealing in the community, he said.

Operation Snag II police staff were continuing with house searches this morning.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)