A $2 million drug ring has been left in tatters after armed dawn raids across Wairarapa netted a cocktail of drugs, guns, cars and cash.
Twenty-two Wairarapa properties were raided at 7am Wednesday morning, with 150 police, including armed offenders squad, CIB staff and dog handlers targeting 16 houses in Masterton, three in Carterton, and one each in Morrisons Bush, Martinborough and eastern rural Masterton.
As a result $70,000 worth of methamphetamine, LSD, ecstasy, cannabis and other drugs were seized, along with $100,000 in cash, six vehicles valued at $150,000, and a number of firearms.
Seventeen Wairarapa men were arrested in the raids and 14 appeared before Judge Tony Walsh and were remanded without plea.
The people who appeared Wednesday and the charges they faced were:
Kody Michael Thomas Rimene, 29, of Masterton, selling and offering cannabis.
Benjamin Robert Francis, 20, Masterton, selling cannabis and amphetamines, offering Ritalin.
Jimbo Epineha Ratapu, 30, Masterton, producing cannabis, two charges of offering cannabis oil, selling cannabis oil, two charges of offering LSD, and four charges of offering or selling Ritalin.
Samuel Kibblewhite, 21, Masterton, selling cannabis and possession of cannabis and cannabis seeds.
Iwi Reece King, 30, Auckland, selling cannabis and methamphetamine, offering to sell cannabis and possession of an offensive weapon.
Cody Dane Pratt, 27, Carterton, possession of cannabis and offering to supply cannabis and methamphetamine.
Jade Francis Gleeson, 31, Masterton, offering and selling Ritalin.
Sharnie Wera Rimene, 30, Masterton, 13 charges variously of possession, offering or selling ecstasy and methamphetamine, plus receiving a stolen chainsaw.
Colin Patrick Sheeran, 58, Mangapakeha, three charges of offering or selling cannabis, four charges of offering, selling, supplying or conspiring to supply LSD.
Matthew John Carleton, 31, Masterton, 21 charges of cultivating, offering, selling or conspiring to supply cannabis, plus one charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Shannon Jacob Nicho, 25, Carterton, 10 charges of cultivating, offering or selling cannabis, plus one of offering to supply methamphetamine.
Kristopher Trass, 30, Masterton, 18 charges of selling, possessing, offering or conspiring to sell cannabis or cannabis oil.
All were bailed on strict conditions and will appear in Masterton District Court on August 3.
Iherangi Eruha Namana, 19, Masterton was remanded in custody until today on two charges of offering methamphetamine, two of selling methamphetamine, plus two charges of receiving a stolen chainsaw.
Timothy James Howie, 29, Martinborough, facing three charges of offering ecstasy, was remanded in custody to appear before the High Court on August 3.
Joshua Colin McRae, 33, of Masterton appeared on two charges of offering to supply
methamphetamine, one charge of offering cannabis and one of offer ing cannabis oil.
Cory Jason Miller, 30, of Masterton, appeared on nine charges of offering or
selling cannabis, seven of offering, selling or conspiring to sell LSD, one of selling methamphetamine, and one of receiving a stolen chainsaw.
Officer in charge of the operation Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said the drug "syndicate" at the heart of the raids was responsible for the manufacture and distribution of over $2 million worth of methamphetamine over the past two years.
He said many of those arrested had gang connections, and faced around 180 charges between them, including dealing Class A, B and C controlled drugs. Drugs included methamphetamine, LSD, ecstasy, cannabis oil and prescription medicines Ritalin and Valium.
The raids were the culmination of a year-long undercover operation dubbed "Operation Hunter", aimed at disrupting the supply of drugs from Wairarapa to the rest of the Wellington region.
Mr Thomson said Wairarapa was the "main focus" of the operation, which also targeted properties in Wellington and Upper Hutt.
The operation had "significantly disrupted the criminal fraternity and drug supply chain" across the Wellington region, and further arrests were pending.
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