New Zealand - Police hope drug busts dent P industry

[buseman]

Police hope they have dealt a heavy blow to the P industry nationwide after their biggest ever commercial drugs bust in Christchurch.

A six-month investigation culminated in raids across Canterbury, shutting down three large P labs and netting massive quantities of the drug.

About 200 police were involved in the busts, in which 11 people were arrested.

At 6am today, police raided a number of properties in Christchurch and executed search warrants in Ashburton and Rangiora.

Three labs were located at three separate addresses and cash, a firearm and chemicals related to the manufacture of methamphetamine were found.

One of the drug labs was located in an inner-city townhouse just metres away from the Christchurch police headquarters.

Police say the Armed Offenders Squad was used due to the dangerous nature of the raids and road closures affected peak hour Christchurch traffic.

Meanwhile, some people reported being evacuated from homes and businesses.

This is the largest commercial operation that we've seen - so we think it's significant and will have an impact into the supply of methamphetamine into the Canterbury area, says Detective Inspector Greg Williams.

Police believe the labs are part of one big operation. Up to $600,000 worth of drugs were hauled in and police say some of the 11 arrested have strong gang connections.

We've seen an indication to links to organised gangs here...through the Harris gang, links to the Mongrel Mob...unfortunately that's not unusual in these cases, says Williams.

Police Minister Judith Collins is meeting with staff involved in the raids.

And more arrests are in the pipeline as police finish examining and decontaminating the labs they have put out of business.

Wednesday June 09, 2010
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/poli...dustry-3582365

[buseman]

P-labs bust bags $600,000 worth of methamphetamine

Christchurch police believe they have just taken around $600,000 worth of methamphetamine (P) off the streets - by shutting down three P-labs.

They say their early morning raids targeted the ring leaders of an elaborate and coordinated operation, who have become very rich from the manufacture and sale of the drug.

After the early morning raids, armed police patrolled the properties where the P-labs were found - watching for the return of residents as volatile as the chemicals they cook.

Detective inspector Greg Williams, of the Christchurch police, says gang links to P are becoming more prevalent.

We've seen an indication to links to organised gangs here through the Harris Gang, links to the Mongrel Mob, that's not unusual unfortunately in these cases now, he says.

Over 160 officers raided 15 properties. They found three clandestine P-labs, a firearm, chemicals and $30,000 in cash.

Electronic surveillance was used to find the offenders.
We believe this is the largest commercial operation that we've seen, says Mr Williams.

In May, police shut down an elaborate P-lab and recovered over $300,000 worth of P hidden in the property.

Today's labs were found at a property once linked to the Harris Gang and another near the port in Lyttleton.

The third is in an apartment within sight of the Christchurch Central Police Station.

Police Minister Judith Collins visited the station this afternoon.

It goes to show how mobile it is and how easily it is to be set up, she says.

So far 11 people have been charged, but police say more arrests will follow.

WED, 09 JUN 2010
http://www.3news.co.nz/P-labs-bust-b...6/Default.aspx