A senior gang figure has been arrested after police raided multiple properties and seized large amounts of cash and methamphetamine.
The arrests are the culmination of a months-long investigation by the National Organised Crime Group targeting the distribution of Class A drugs into Canterbury.
Police executed more than 10 search warrants over three days at Christchurch properties, including a gang headquarters in Addington. Police say the raids uncovered approximately 1kg of methamphetamine and cash estimated to exceed $100,000.
The operation included an earlier phase last month when a woman flying into Christchurch Airport was intercepted alongside a driver waiting in the car park.
Acting Crime Manager for the National Organised Crime Group, Detective Inspector Rebecca Cotton, said the operation targeted a syndicate suspected of driving drug distribution in the region. Police alleged the group structured its activities to avoid detection and protect its leadership.
