Police have confirmed that a major Police operation targeting the criminal activities of the Head Hunters gang is currently underway across Auckland, and in parts of the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Northland.
Not long after 6am this morning, nearly 180 Police officers launched search warrants at more than 30 properties across Auckland. Searches are also underway in Huntly, Ruakākā and Tauranga.
Detectives from Police’s Organised Financial Crime Agency (OFCANZ), who are leading the operation, are being assisted by officers from the Auckland City, Waitemata, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Northland and Waikato Police districts.
Police have also confirmed that the Armed Offenders Squad are currently deployed Marua Road in Ellerslie.
Today’s raids are the termination phase of Operation Sylvester, a Police investigation into the criminal activities of the Head Hunters gang, including the alleged large-scale production and supply of methamphetamine by a syndicate of members and affiliates.
Detective Inspector Bruce Good says “The ripple effect that this criminal offending has on law-abiding New Zealanders can’t be underestimated and today aims to reduce the very real harm that this drug continues to cause people across all sectors of our community”
“This is not about targeting people solely because they are in a gang. It’s about their criminal activity which continues to drive crime, that in turn affects all of us throughout New Zealand . We’re also planning to seize assets today worth around $4 million, including a large number of very expensive, high-end cars, machinery, bank accounts and property” says Detective Inspector Good.
Within the past few hours a number of people have been detained by Police and are now being interviewed in relation to manufacturing and supplying meth, money laundering, unlawfully possessing firearms and fraud.