Police clean up in Waipuk drug raids
Three people are facing serious drug charges, including supplying methamphetamine and cultivating cannabis, after a series of police raids in Central Hawke’s Bay.
Hawke’s Bay police teams carried out two drug-related search warrants at separate addresses in Waipukurau last Tuesday.
The first, an early morning meth bust, resulted in two people being arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply, but police would not reveal any further details.
In a second raid later that same morning, police said they discovered a “verywell equipped” indoor cannabis growing operation inside a house on Tavistock Rd.
A58-year-old woman has been charged with cultivation of cannabis and is due to appear inWaipukurau District Court next month after a number of “goodsized” cannabis plants and a trailer full of growing equipment was seized by police. Alarge ‘mother plant,’ 15 medium-sized plants and 50 seedlings were found, police said.
ATavistock Rd resident who watched the raid unfold said he watched police remove at least a dozen plants from the house.
“After that, they were bringing them out in dribs and drabs, and they were good-sized plants too.”
The equipment seized included “hydroponic gear, fans, heaters— the whole bloody lot!” the resident said.
About seven officerswere seen loading bags of fertiliser, light fittings, electrical cords, ventilation ducting, a fan and other items into a trailer before it was removed just after midday.
Sergeant Greg Simmons, from Hawke’s Bay Police, said the search warrant was issued in relation to alleged cannabis cultivation.
“As you will see we’ve seized a lot of gear. We also seized a number of plants which police believe are cannabis and we are making enquiries with a female occupant of this address [about] her knowledge of it.” Sergeant Simmons said the plants were of “varying maturity”.
“We had a number of plants that were well through their growth cycle and, from my experience, close to being cultivated.”
Sergeant Simmons said the woman had been detained and inquirieswere ongoing.
The trailer load of equipment was due to be destroyed, he said.
Aspokesperson said police were “working hard” to target drug dealing and “its harm to the community”. “Wewelcome any information from the public that will help us combat this scourge.”
People can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111