Police say a crime family is at the centre of a major gang drugs operation carried out in Southland and Central Otago.
Drugs and firearms seized by police. Photo: NZ POLICE
The Southern District police said on Thursday they have arrested 17 people aged from 22 to 78 after executing search warrants in Invercargill, Alexandra, Roxburgh and the Moa Creek area.
Officers seized hundreds of thousands of dollars of property, including seven houses and two motorbikes, quantities of drugs including cannabis, firearms and $38,000 in cash.
Police said the operation is the result of a 10-month investigation called Operation Crimson, targeting the Invercargill-based Road Knights Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.
Detective Senior Sergeant Malcolm Inglis said four of the 17 arrested are members of a crime family which is integral to the Road Knights gang and much of the property was theirs.
The family members appear to have made a substantial living from the illegal activities, he said.
"These people are making illegal money for illicit gain, and that money's been put back into assets. The only way we can see stopping some of this crime is targeting those assets."
Some 195 charges are being laid covering 450 alleged offences. Most of those arrested were due to appear in the Invercargill District Court on Thursday.
