Police seize $2.5m in assets

Police have seized $2.5 million worth of assets, including cash and firearms, in a crackdown on criminal activity in Palmerston North.

Eight search warrants carried out last Tuesday in Palmerston North and Auckland ended with six people arrested and charged with serious drug offences.

One of the six has already pleaded not guilty.

In a statement yesterday, police said they seized $2.5m in assets, ranging from $60,000 cash to 9 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of $1.6m.

They also recovered firearms and tools consistent with converting starter pistols into guns.

The searches were done as part of Operation Cobalt, a sixmonth nationwide crackdown on gangs that began in June.

The operation came at a time of increased tension between gangs, with the arrival of criminals from Australia – deported to Aotearoa under the 501 policy – and subsequent establishment of New Zealand chapters of the Comancheros and Mongols.

Detective Inspector Paul Baskett said the searches and seizures would impact the meth trade in the area.

‘‘Operation Cobalt is continuing to target and disrupt illegal behaviour, such as the operation allegedly being conducted by this group.

‘‘We are pleased to have put these offenders before the courts and to have removed weapons and drugs from the community, and to have taken the profits of crime out of the hands of alleged criminals.’’

The six arrested people, who have name suppression, are due to appear in court next month.

The searches were done as part of Operation Cobalt.