Police have seized two shotguns, a range of illicit drugs and $12,000 in cash following an investigation into alleged drug supply in Hawke’s Bay.
Three people have been arrested after Police executed a search warrant in Hastings last week as part of an investigation targeting the supply of illegal drugs.
Officers seized a sawn-off shotgun and a pump-action shotgun along with ammunition.
Police also located cannabis, cocaine, ketamine, MDMA and LSD, as well as drug paraphernalia and the cash.
A 30-year-old patched Mongrel Mob member has been remanded in custody after appearing in court.
He faces charges including supplying cocaine, offering to supply cocaine, unlawful possession of two firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition.
A 29-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man have also been jointly charged with possession for supply of cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and LSD. Both have been granted bail.
All three are due to reappear in the Hastings District Court on September 1.
Police say the combination of firearms, drugs and large amounts of cash demonstrates the risks associated with organised criminal offending.
But investigators say one of the most concerning aspects of the operation was the discovery that young children were living in an environment where drugs, firearms and ammunition were present.
Police say removing the weapons and drugs from circulation is about more than arrests, with the wider objective being to reduce the harm organised crime and drug supply cause within communities.
The Hastings arrests come amid continuing enforcement against drugs, firearms and gangs across the Eastern Police District.
In May, Operation Tar targeted organised crime across Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa, resulting in nine arrests and the seizure of 17 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, more than $30,000 cash, about four kilograms of cannabis and 15 grams of methamphetamine.
That operation also included a prevention programme connecting whānau affected by organised crime and addiction with support services, with Police reporting 96 percent of the whānau approached chose to take up assistance.
Police say enquiries into the latest Hastings operation are continuing and further charges could follow.
The seizure sends another signal that Hawke’s Bay remains a focus for Police efforts to disrupt the combination of drugs, firearms and organised crime before the harm spreads further into whānau and communities.
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