A military-style rifle, a myriad of properties and vehicles and cash and bank accounts worth $2.5 million have been seized after an organised crime sting in Christchurch.
Jetskis, a caravan and about 200 cannabis plants - as well as vehicles and both residential and commercial properties - were among the items restrained by police in nine raids at properties across the city on Wednesday.
The search warrants were executed by Canterbury Police's organised crime and asset recovery units after an investigation into money laundering and the supply of cannabis, police said in a statement.
The search warrants resulted in five arrests, all of which related to either drug supply and cultivation, unlawful possession of firearms or money laundering.
One of the five - a 48-year-old man - has been arrested and charged with importing a Class A controlled drug, cultivating cannabis and selling cannabis.
He is scheduled to appear in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday afternoon.
Four others - three men aged 23, 28 and 29 and a woman aged 46 - will appear in court on Tuesday next week.
Their charges are as follows:
- 23-year-old male: charged with cultivating cannabis and possession of cannabis for supply.
- 28-year-old male: charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, cultivating cannabis and selling cannabis.
- 29-year-old male: charged with cultivating cannabis, selling cannabis, supplying equipment to cultivate cannabis, and money laundering.
- 46-year-old female: charged with supplying equipment to cultivate cannabis, and money laundering.
In a statement to media, police said they remain committed to the identification and disruption of crime syndicates involved in distributing drugs on a large scale.
They encourage anyone with information about the sale and supply of illegal substances to contact police on 105 or anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The latest incident follows a swathe of raids on Aotearoa's criminal organisations.
Last week, Hawke's Bay Police made 16 arrests - including one of the Mongrel Mob's most senior members - and seized $1 million in assets after executing search warrants at gang pads in the region.
That follows an announcement by New Zealand Police revealing they'd seized $4.4 million, executed 100 search warrants and made 93 arrests in a crackdown on gangs during coronavirus alert levels 3 and 4.
