A huge bust

The Herald reports:

More than $120 million in drugs and assets have been seized during a record-breaking operation involving 330 officers from police, OFCANZ and Customs this morning.

Forty search warrants were executed at residential and business premises across Auckland and Waikato and 24 people were arrested at the conclusion of an 18 month investigation named Operation Ghost.

More than 330 kilograms of the Class B drug ContacNT was also seized in what police described as “the biggest haul of its kind in New Zealand history”.

ContacNT is manufactured legally in China but is used in New Zealand to produce methamphetamine.

The ContacNT seized during Operation Ghost is enough to produce up to 100 kilograms of methamphetamine which has a corresponding street value of $100 million. …

“Police and OFCANZ have eliminated a criminal network responsible for importing and distributing Class B drugs which are used to produce methamphetamine.

“Operation Ghost sends a powerful message to the criminal community that we will use every legal avenue at our disposal to target organised crime in New Zealand.”

It will be interesting to see who the 24 people arrested are, and if they have gang affiliations.