Police swoop nets 44

Press, 25 July 1984, Page 1

Police swoop nets 44

PA Auckland The police in Auckland and Northland arrested 44 people early yesterday after what a spokesman called an extensive undercover operation. About 150 uniformed police, detectives, and cus-

toms officers with dogs acted on search warrants in, the Auckland area, Whangarei, and Kaitaia. The swoop, code-named Operation Ali, was the culmination of several months of undercover work by police intelligence officers,’

said a police spokesman. In recent weeks, he said, detectives had recovered property valued at $95,000. the haul had included 36 video recorders, 18 stereo units, and two hand-guns.

About 14kg of cannabis and quantities of LSD, cocaine, and other narcotics were also seized. Arrests continued throughout the day. The police say that further arrests are likely in the next few days. By late yesterday 44 people were due to appear in the District Courts at Auckland and Whangarei on charges which included burglary, receiving, and drugs-related offences. The officer in charge of the special effort, Detective Senior-Sergeant Grant Rutherford, said the swoop was “an across-the-board

operation directed at the criminal fraternity.” Yesterday’s exercise, he said, was the largest of its type for two years. A briefing for 120 police and customs officers was held at the Auckland Central Police Station at 6 a.m. The police executed 45 search warrants round the Auckland area and by 9 a.m. had arrested or detained 29 people. A further 30 officers acted on 14 search warrants round Whangarei and Kaitaia.

Later in the day two video recorders, almost half a kilogram of cannabis, and several hauls of cannabis plants were seized, the police said.