New currency in criminal's market - your TV

Title: New currency in criminal's commodity market- your TV

A week long series of searches by Waikato Police has revealed there's a new currency in the underworld commodities market and it's being funded by the victims of crime.

That currency is stolen electronics, particularly televisions and Hamilton Tactical Coordinator, Senior Sergeant Greg Dunn, said Waikato staff had been hard at work disrupting the cycle of offending between burglars, receivers and drug dealers.

Known as Operation Surf a series of search warrants have been carried out across the District beginning last Sunday and culminating in a series of searches of central city apartments this morning.

"In all 18 searches were carried out including those at the three apartments today.

"15 people have been arrested so far with further inquiries continuing, six of those arrested were occupants of the Alexandra St apartments."

Those arrested face a variety of charges including possession and supply of methamphetamine, possession of stolen property and illegal possession of firearms.

Mr Dunn said some common themes identified during the course of the inquiries included links between the illicit drugs trade and illegal firearms and links between property crime and illegal drugs.

"During inquiries throughout the year it's become common to find firearms at properties where drug seizures have been made and the last few days have been no different.

"We've seized a number of firearms including handguns, sawn-off shotguns and loaded rifles including .22 and a 308 calibre rifles today."

Among other weapons seized were knives, samurai swords, tasers and home made weapons.

"We've also seized quantities of various drugs including methamphetamine and cannabis with one ounce bag of white powder sent away for analysis.

"If this proves to be methamphetamine it would have a current estimated street value in Hamilton of about $14,000 but time will tell, we also uncovered an inactive clandestine meth lab at another address" he said.

Anecdotal evidence gathered during the investigation suggests those in the criminal underworld are circumventing traditional currency replacing it with the exchange of electronics for drugs.

"We've recovered quantities of televisions, laptop computers, projectors and other electronics and also learned street values of these items in terms of how much drugs they are worth.

"For instance I think the public would be very surprised to learn their 50' plasma screen TV they've saved quite a while for is worth as little as a gram of methamphetamine to a burglar."

Mr Dunn said while pleased with the success of this week's operation there was still more to be done and Police couldn't do it alone.

"Burglary and drugs are of the utmost priority for Waikato Police but we can't have successes like today without the public's help, we need people not to presume we already know about an operation and give us a call if they're suspicious about something.

"You can do this by making contact via you nearest Police Station or if you need anonymity you can contact us via 0800 CrimeStoppers (0800 555 111)."

ENDS