Taskforce Vitreus: Drugs seized, arrests made in trans-Tasman operation

Police say nearly 200 arrests have been made and dozens of kilos of drugs seized during a second trans-Tasman operation this month that has seen organised crime groups raid their pockets.

Under Taskforce Vitreus, police, New Zealand Customs and Australian authorities have seized more than AUD 93 million (NZ$101 million) worth of drugs in a week. That is a significant loss for criminal organisations wallowing in the misery of their own making, said Detective Inspector Greg Williams, director of the National Organised Crime Group.

Vitreus is an Australasian task force focused on drugs and the harm they cause to communities. Between Monday 19 and Friday 23 August, agencies on both sides of the Tasman conducted an operation that resulted in:

• 190 arrests
• 14 Commandments on the North Island
• 179 charges filed against 122 people
• The seizure of three hunting rifles and a .22 rifle

A significant quantity of drugs, including more than 4kg of methamphetamine and 25kg of pseudoephedrine, were also seized by police and customs.

It comes just weeks after Taskforce Morpheus, another joint operation between New Zealand and Australian authorities targeting motorcycle gangs.

Detective Williams said the operation was an extension of the ongoing efforts by police to tackle the supply chains of illegal drugs in New Zealand. The number of arrests reflected the risk that drug suppliers and dealers were prepared to take to make money.

“This was not an operation aimed at the people who smoke a joint on the weekend – Taskforce Vitreus’ week of action targeted the suppliers and organised crime groups who profit from people’s pain.

“We know for sure that organised crime is a major driver of harm and illegal activity. These groups don’t care about their users or the fact that so many people with addiction problems have to steal or rob others to fund their habits. The criminals who cause this just want the money and the market share.

“They just don’t care if you get broken into, they don’t care if a user ends up in the hospital or dies. All they care about is getting their next customer.”

Dominic Adams, Customs Investigations Manager, confirmed that Customs’ intelligence analysis and investigative expertise played a key role in supporting this complex, multi-agency operation, which resulted in significant disruption and financial loss to the organised criminal entities involved.

“These criminals must understand that we will respond to their illegal activities with the combined efforts of our investigative, intelligence and law enforcement partners across borders to track and disrupt the damage and profits of organized crime,” Adams said.

The National Organised Crime Group will continue to work with international colleagues to develop covert and overt campaigns that target and thwart criminal entities, Detective Chief Inspector Williams said.

“There will be more operations like this in the future and we will do our best to be a thorn in their side.”

Amount of drugs seized by police and customs (at the border):

Methamphetamine:

• Police: 235.92 grams
• Customs: 4134.39 grams, plus 10 pills
• Total: 4.37 kg and 10 pills

Cannabis leaf:

• Police: 4890.83 grams
• Customs: 2933 grams, plus 61 seeds
• Total: 7.82 kg and 61 seeds

Cannabis plants:

Police: 162

Cocaine:

• Police: 2.37 grams
• Customs: 99.3 grams
• Total: 101.67 grams

GBL/GHB:

• Police: 117.24 (GHB)
• Customs: 1275 grams (GBL)
• Total: 1.39 kg

Ketamine:

Police: 0.75 grams
Customs: 466 grams
Total: 466.75

MDMA use:

• Police: 21.12 grams and two tabs
• Customs: 4134.39 grams and 10 tabs
• Total: 4.14 kg and 12 tablets

Pseudoephedrine (used in the production of methamphetamine):

• Customs: 25,392 grams
• Total: 25.39 kg

Ephedrine:

• Customs: 2384 grams
• Total: 2.38 kg.

Image credit: Kindel Media