Drug raids net 35

Press, 27 March 1981, Page 1

Drug raids net 35

Thirty-five were arrested on drug charges yesterday after dawn raids by the police in Nelson and in Auckland. In Nelson the police found 160 grams of hashish, 15,000 cannabis seeds, I.Bkg of cann,abis and drugtaking instruments, and in Auckland small amounts of heroin, cocaine, LSD, and cannabis were seized.

On the West Coast in the last four months the police have seized more than a tonne of marijuana. The Nelson raids.began at 4 a.m. yesterday when the police made simultaneous raids on the homes

of 28 suspected drug dealers in Nelson City.

Twenty-two people were arrested initially and another three were arrested during .the day. The 25 so far arrested, and another three who are still sought, will face more than 100 charges in the District Court at Nelson today. Some of the charges will relate to the possession of offensive weapons. A pistol, shotgun, and a coal sack full of weapons were uncovered in the raid.

A police spokesman said later that although it could not be said that a drug ring existed in Nelson most of those arrested were

“closely associated with one another.” The ages of those arrested, all local people, ranged from 20 to 60. Among the strong police contingent from Nelson, Blenheim, and Wellington were members of the armed offenders squad. The Commander of the Nelson police district; Chief Superintendent P. T. Goodyear, said the armed offenders squad was present for “very good reasons.” However, there was no resistance. Mr Goodyear said the raid had followed up extensive investigations into drug dealing in the region for several months.

The tonne or more of marijuana seized on the West Coast in recent months, said to be worth about $2.5 million, had resulted in about 126 people being “locked up,” according to the head of the C. 1.8. at Greymouth, Detective Sergeant T. J. Gorman. One was a dealer who had 80kg of marijuana in his freezer.

Forty Auckland detectives made dawn raids at several Auckland houses yesterday after a twomonth undercover drug investigation. Ten were arrested.