Police congratulated on huge drugs bust

Police Minister Judith Collins today congratulated the Police for the successful conclusion of a two-year undercover drugs operation that resulted in over 250 people facing over 700 charges.

The operation, codenamed Operation Lime, saw Police swoop on 35 businesses and many residential addresses this morning. The operation targeted businesses and people believed to be responsible for the sale of equipment to grow cannabis.

Police believe that the bust will cause major disruption to the illicit cannabis cultivation industry.

“I would like to congratulate Police for their good work in bringing this operation to such a successful conclusion and shutting down a major source of equipment for commercial cannabis growers in this country,” Ms Collins said from Dubai, where she was returning to New Zealand following ANZAC commemorations at Gallipoli.

“Today’s arrests are the result of meticulous intelligence gathering by Police. It sends a strong signal to those who try to produce drugs in New Zealand that they will be caught.”

Over the past year the Government has introduced a raft of new policies aimed at tackling criminal gangs and the drugs trade.

“The message to those who manufacture and sell drugs in our community is that the Government and the Police are determined to shut down your activities, and will use every tool at their disposal to do so,” Ms Collins said.

ENDS

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