Arrest in connection with $2m worth of P
Friday, 27 November 2015

Tribesmen New Zealand gang patch. Photo / Supplied

A patched gang member has been arrested in connection with $2 million worth of imported methamphetamine.

Police said the 29-year-old man was a member of the Tribesmen - a motorcycle gang based in the Bay of Plenty which serves as managers for the Killer Beez.

He will appear in Manukau District Court tomorrow facing five charges of importation of meth and conspiracy to import Class A controlled drugs.

More than 2kg of the drug was seized at Auckland International Airport and a further 1.2kg was alleged to have been imported.

The arrest follows the launch of Operation General, an inter-agency investigation involving New Zealand Customs and Counties Manukau Police, in September this year.

Detective Senior Sergeant Albie Alexander said the arrest highlighted the emphasis Counties police were placing on targeting the organised criminal groups.

"We will continue to work with customs and our other partner agencies to target those people within our community who try to spread harm through the distribution and sale of drugs.

"The success of this operation is down to the assistance police received from our partners."

Customs investigations manager Maurice O'Brien said it was another example of police and customs sharing expertise and resources with excellent results.