Police bust helps to get more guns off street

A police raid of a Kaitangata residence on Thursday where 143 cannabis plants and several firearms and ammunition were seized was ‘‘a good opportunity to get guns off the street’’, police say.

A Dunedin-based police offenders prevention team, with armed offenders squad capabilities, executed a search warrant on a Kaitangata residence in south Otago late Thursday morning.

‘‘We had information that led to a person who was known to be in possession of firearms,’’ Senior Sergeant Stan Leishman, of Balclutha, said.

Police seized four firearms, including two .22 calibre rifles, a .308 shot gun and the stock assembly for a double-barrel shotgun.

Police also gathered 137 rounds of ammunition.

The 43-year-old Kaitangata man who was arrested did not have a firearms licence. ‘‘Obviously any opportunity we have to seize guns is good, and this was a good opportunity to get guns off the street.’’

In addition, police also seized 143 cannabis plants of various sizes at the offender’s house.

The plants were not ready for harvest, therefore it was difficult to put a street value on the haul, but when mature, the crop could have been worth many thousands of dollars, Leishman said.

The matter had been handled by a police team targeting priority offenders.

The man had not yet been charged but had been taken into custody.

‘‘Police are still proposing a suitable charge.’’

The plants were not ready for harvest, therefore it was difficult to put a street value on the haul.