Four people are before the courts and Police have seized thousands in cash and a kilo of illicit drugs following search warrants in the Whanganui area.

Operation Arch is part of the ongoing efforts to target the distribution of illegal drugs in Central District.

Approximately $70,000 in cash, and 1kg of methamphetamine and other controlled drugs were seized late last week by the Whanganui Organised Crime Unit (OCU).

Three men, aged 46, 47, and 53, and a 31-year-old woman appeared in Levin and Whanganui Courts on 23 and 24 November and are remanded in custody, facing charges of possessing methamphetamine or GBL for supply and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Two of the men, who were arrested in Levin, were carrying a significant amount of drugs and cash. The third man was arrested at a residence in Waverly with the assistance of Police Armed Offenders’ Squad (AOS).

Further search warrants targeting assets were executed in Whanganui, resulting in the arrest of the woman.

Though driven by the OCU, this was a real example of an all-of-policing approach and a joint effort from a number of different teams, says Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Carey Priest.

“The proactive and can-do stance of the investigation team has bought together our resources effectively to remove a significant quantity of harmful drugs from our community and to hold those responsible for their distribution to account,” says Priest.

If you have any information regarding illegal drugs in our communities, please contact Police in confidence on 105 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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