A visit to a Napier property to execute a warrant to arrest resulted in far more than two Public Safety Team (PST) officers and a Tactical Dog Team bargained for last night.
The officers went to an Onekawa house at around 6.45pm yesterday, looking for a 19-year-old man who had a warrant for his arrest.
As the officers approached the house, they observed a firearm through a window.
The officers then obtained and executed a search warrant at the property, locating a replica AK47 in .22 calibre; a .22 calibre pistol; 5.5 kilograms of methamphetamine; ammunition; and cash.
Two men at the property – both patched gang members, aged 19 and 34 – were arrested and are facing a number of drugs and firearms-related charges.
“This was exceptional work by the officers involved,” says Detective Inspector Martin James, Eastern District Crime Services Manager.
“They were at the property to undertake a fairly routine policing task, but they were also focused on the bigger picture.”
“Their actions upon observing the firearm through the window has resulted in a big win for community safety in Hawke’s Bay.”
“We’ve removed two firearms from the streets, and the amount of methamphetamine found at this address is significant – it is equivalent to an estimated 275,000 doses. If this had been sold to users within our community, it would have caused untold harm.”
If sold in retail amounts, this amount of methamphetamine would be worth approximately $2.2 million.
“That’s $2.2 million that will not be going into the pockets of gang members to further their criminal activities and victimisation of vulnerable people in our towns,” says Detective Inspector James.
The two men will appear in Hastings District Court today.
