A major police operation targeting organised crime across Australia and New Zealand has seen nearly 200 people arrested.
Taskforce Vitreus was set up to tackle illegal drug sales, “slashing at the pockets of organised crime groups”.
It involved all Australian state and territory police agencies, the Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, the New Zealand Police and New Zealand Customs.
Detective Superintendent Greg Williams, director of New Zealand’s National Organised Crime Group, said this morning: “NZ Customs and Australian authorities seized more than A$93 million (NZ$101m) drugs in a week, a significant loss for criminal entities that wallow in the misery they create.”
The joint taskforce ran its operation from Monday to Friday last week.
In that time, agencies on both sides of the Tasman made 190 arrests, executed 14 warrants across the North Island, laid 179 charges against 122 people and seized three shotguns and a .22 rifle.
A “significant quantity of drugs” was also seized including more than 4kg of methamphetamine and 25kg of pseudoephedrine.
Williams said: “The number of arrests reflects the risk drug suppliers and dealers are willing to take to make money.
“This wasn’t an operation targeting the people who smoke a joint at the weekend — Taskforce Vitreus’s week of action targeted the suppliers and organised crime groups that profit from people’s pain.”
Organised crime is a “significant driver” of harm and other illegal activity, he continued.
“These groups don’t care about their users or the fact so many people with addiction issues have to steal or rob others to fund their habits,” Williams said. “Simply, they don’t care if your house gets broken into, they don’t care if a user ends up in hospital or dies.
“The only thing that matters to them is getting their next customer.”
Customs also played a “key role” in the operation.
In a press release, a police spokesperson broke down the quantity of drugs seized by police and Customs.
It was a total of 4.37kg and 10 pills of meth; 7.82kg and 61 seeds of cannabis leaf; 162 cannabis plants; 101.67 grams of cocaine; 1.39kg of GBL/GHB; 466.75 grams of ketamine; 4.14kg and 12 tabs of MDMA; 25.39kg of pseudoephedrine and 2.38kg of ephedrine.
“There will be more operations like this in future, and we will do our best to be a thorn deep in their side,” Williams said.