Major drug bust in Auckland: Police dismantle major drug operations in Kumeū region
New Zealand Police
have dismantled multiple illicit drug operations in the Kumeū area of northwest Auckland, seizing nearly 400 kilograms of
cannabis
and 40 grams of
cocaine
, and arresting three individuals.
Waitematā North area inspector Mike Rickards said local police have been targeting large cannabis operations run by Vietnamese organised criminal groups around the Kumeū area.
Police uncovered a sophisticated cultivation setup containing 931 cannabis plants weighing approximately 237 kilograms. A nearby address yielded an additional 130 plants, totaling around 155 kilograms.
Play Video
Pause
Skip Backward
Skip Forward
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
0:00
Loaded
:
0%
0:00
Stream Type
LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
1x
Playback Rate
Chapters
Chapters
Descriptions
descriptions off
, selected
Captions
captions settings
, opens captions settings dialog
captions off
, selected
Audio Track
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text
Color
White
Black
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Text Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Transparent
Caption Area Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque
Font Size
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
300%
400%
Text Edge Style
None
Raised
Depressed
Uniform
Drop shadow
Font Family
Proportional Sans-Serif
Monospace Sans-Serif
Proportional Serif
Monospace Serif
Casual
Script
Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values
Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Dermatologista recomenda: simples truque elimina o fungo facilmente
Acabe com os Fungo
Undo
Authorities also confiscated a substantial amount of cash and high-end equipment used in cannabis production. Two Vietnamese nationals, a 27-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man, were arrested and have been remanded in custody on drug-related charges.
In a separate operation on May 16, the Waitematā Gang Disruption Unit and Offender Prevention Team arrested a 36-year-old man associated with the Head Hunters motorcycle gang. The suspect attempted to dispose of illicit substances during the search. Police recovered 30 grams of cocaine and additional cannabis at the scene. The individual faces charges of possession for supply of cocaine and cannabis.
Live Events
Inspector Mike Rickards, Waitematā North Area Commander, emphasized the impact of these operations: "Our team's operations over the past week have in no doubt disrupted the illegal operation and prevented harm in our community. It will have had an impact on drug distribution across the Rodney area. We're really clear that we won't tolerate this in our community, and we'll continue to target these groups who are cashing in on their offending."
New Zealand's recent crackdown on drug peddlers
New Zealand's intensified crackdown on
drug trafficking
has led to significant arrests and seizures nationwide.
A multi-agency investigation led to the arrest of 10 individuals and the seizure of over 6,800 cannabis plants in Auckland in December 2023, with several Vietnamese nationals facing deportation.
Additionally, in 2022, the Head Hunters were implicated in a significant methamphetamine operation, resulting in multiple arrests and the seizure of drugs and firearms.
The Head Hunters Motorcycle Club, established in Auckland in 1967, has a long-standing history of involvement in organized crime, including drug trafficking and money laundering. The gang maintains a national presence and has been linked to various criminal activities over the decades.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh: ASP Akash Rao Giripunje killed after sustaining injuries in Sukma IED blast
Additional Superintendent of Police, Akash Rao Giripunje , died after sustaining injuries due to an Improvised Explosive Device blast in Chhattisgarh 's Sukma on Monday. ASP Akash Rao was admitted to the Konta hospital for treatment following the accident. Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma informed reporters about the development on Monday. Vijay Sharma said that ASP Akash Rao was a "brave" jawan and was conferred with various gallantry awards. He informed us that search operations were launched following the incident. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Husband Sold Son's Car After Bad Grades. Parents Turned Pale When He Did This As Revenge Beach Raider Undo "ASP Sukma, Akash Rao Giripunje, sacrificed his life after being injured due to an IED blast near Dondra on Konta-Errabora road. He was a brave jawan and was given several gallantry awards. It is a sad moment for us. Search and operations have been launched", he told reporters. Earlier today, a pressure Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast occurred near Dondra on Konta-Errabora road, due to which ASP Konta Division, Sukma district, Akash Rao Giripunje sustained serious injuries, according to IG Bastar P Sundarraj on Monday. Live Events Some other officers and jawans were injured due to the IED blast. "A pressure IED blast near Dondra on Konta-Errabora road; ASP Konta Division, District Sukma, Akash Rao Giripunje sustains serious injuries. Some other officers and jawans have also been injured in this pressure IED blast", IG Sundarraj said in his statement. According to IG, ASP Giripunje was on foot patrol duty to prevent any Naxalite incident, given the call by CPI (M) for Bharat Bandh on June Sundarraj also mentioned that all the injured are being treated at the Konta Hospital. Meanwhile, ASP Giripunje's condition is critical. Efforts are being made to shift him to a higher medical centre soon for better treatment. "ASP Akash Rao Giripunje was on foot patrol duty in the area to prevent any kind of Naxalite incident in view of the call for Bharat Bandh on 10 June by CPI(M). All the injured are being treated at Konta Hospital. Among the injured, the condition of ASP Akash Rao is very serious and critical. The other injured are currently out of danger. Efforts are on to shift Additional SP Akash Rao to a higher medical centre soon for better treatment", IG Sundarraj added in his statement.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'LA under siege by marauding criminals': Kash Patel slams lawlessness; says FBI can act without permission
FBI director Kash Patel vows to end LA riots FBI Director Kash Patel on Monday strongly condemned the ongoing protests and riots in Los Angeles, vowing that the federal agency will take all necessary steps to restore order amid rising unrest over Trump administration immigration policies and ICE raids. In a firm message posted on X, Patel said, 'Just so we are clear, this FBI needs no one's permission to enforce the constitution. My responsibility is to the American people, not political punch lines. LA is under siege by marauding criminals, and we will restore law and order. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you.' The protests, which began in response to aggressive ICE operations across Southern California, have escalated over the weekend. Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets, with some incidents turning violent, including arson, vandalism, and clashes with law enforcement. Several vehicles were torched, roads blocked, and tensions remain high in Latino neighbourhoods where immigration enforcement has been concentrated. Pate and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino held a high-level call with senior leadership to assess the federal response to the crisis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sanitize & Smooth Clothes Fast with Philips Steamer Philips Garment Steamers Shop Now Undo According to the FBI, they pledged full support and resources from headquarters to manage the situation, praised FBI components across the country for their readiness, and reinforced their commitment to tracking down and prosecuting anyone who attacks law enforcement officers. Bongino also issued a stern warning to rioters through his own post on X. 'If you choose violence tonight, this message is for you. We will be investigating and pursuing all available leads for assault on a federal officer, in addition to the many arrests already made,' he wrote. 'And, although we'll pursue every case, we don't need to catch every single perp, we just need to catch you… We will not forget. Even after you try to. ' Patel followed up with another post targeting those who attack law enforcement officers. 'Hit a cop, you're going to jail… doesn't matter where you came from, how you got here, or what movement speaks to you. If the local police force won't back our men and women on the thin blue line, we FBI will,' he said. The statements from federal law enforcement come amid mounting criticism from Democratic leaders, including former US Vice President Kamala Harris and California governor Gavin Newsom, who have called the federal deployment of troops and raids as excessive and politically motivated.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Better if he was dead': Kenyan mother's search for son year after protests
I search for my child amidst the protest's turmoil. Fear and desperation consume me as I scan the chaotic scene. Susan Wangari has lost count of the morgues, hospitals and police stations she has visited in search of her son, who went missing at the height of Kenya's mass protests last June. She last saw Emmanuel Mukuria, 24, on the morning of June 25, 2024, the day that thousands of Kenyan youths thronged the streets of Nairobi and stormed parliament in protest at planned tax rises and corruption. "It would be better if my son were dead; at least I could visit his grave," she told AFP. Rights groups say at least 60 people were killed during the protests in June and July, and more than 80 abducted by the security forces since then, with dozens still missing. Mukuria's friends say he was arrested during the protests in the city centre, where he worked as a minibus tout. "We do not have peace in this house," his mother, 50, told AFP during a visit to her single-room home in the Kasarani slum area. "I sleep lightly at night in case he comes knocking at my window like he always did," she said. "Every time we hear that bodies have been found somewhere, we are anxious to know whose they are." Two men told her they shared a cell with Mukuria, but they are too afraid to speak publicly about their ordeal. One was only released in February, giving her hope that her son is still alive in captivity. "They told me they were beaten and questioned about the protests. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo They were being asked who paid them to participate," Wangari said. Last month, President William Ruto, in a clear admission that security forces had engaged in kidnappings, said all those abducted during the protests had been "returned to their families". Rights groups say dozens are still missing and police have shown little progress in investigating the disappearances despite Ruto claiming an "accountability mechanism" was put in place. Questioned by AFP, the president's office said the police were "handling the brief", while a police spokesman referred AFP back to the president's office. The police spokesman said they had no information on Mukuria's case. An officer-in-charge at the station where Wangari reported him missing said the matter was still under investigation. - Delayed justice - Many other families are still dealing with the aftermath of the violence. Rex Masai, 29, was the first to die during the protests, shot and killed in the city centre on June 20. The inquest into his death is still dragging on. "We are hoping for the best but we are not near the truth," Masai's mother Gillian Munyao told AFP at her home, where a photo of her dreadlocked son hangs on the wall. She found her son lying lifeless in a pool of blood at a clinic where he was taken that day. The state prosecutor has said a lack of witnesses has delayed progress in the case. One potential witness was scared off for fear he might be "forcibly disappeared" by the police, Munyao said. Hussein Khalid, head of rights group Vocal Africa, blamed a "lack of cooperation by the authorities". "When you get evidence, the unfortunate bit is you have to take it to the police themselves," he said. He lost count of the number of funerals he attended after the protests, estimating between 20 and 30. "Was it necessary to unleash this kind of brute force against young, innocent Kenyans?" he said. Politicians have shown little interest in accountability or learning from the unrest. "People were killed, we sympathised, we moved on," Bashir Abdullahi, a member of the ruling coalition,told parliament during a debate on the protests last month. But for victim's families, the search for justice "means a lot", said Masai's father, Chrispin Odawa. "The wound will never heal," he said.
