Four people have been charged following six search warrants executed throughout the South Island over the past two days.

About 80 grams of methamphetamine, with a street value of over $25,000, two firearms and approximately $20,000 cash were located and seized from properties in Christchurch, Blenheim and Nelson.

A 40-year-old woman has appeared in the Christchurch District Court and remanded in custody to reappear on 3 October. 

A 43-year-old man has been charged with being unlawfully in possession of firearms, offering to supply methamphetamine, cultivating cannabis, and contravening a protection order. He has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear in the Christchurch District Court 27 September.

And a 46-year-old woman and a 62-year-old man are due to reappear in the Nelson District Court today, charged with numerous offences relating to the sale and supply of methamphetamine across the Tasman District.

Police continue to investigate the whereabouts of several further people of interest.

The Tasman Organised Crime Unit along with the recently formed Tasman Asset Recovery Unit have been involved in the search warrants relating to investigations into the distribution of methamphetamine.

Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Dye said, “Police enquiries revealed evidence of large quantities of methamphetamine being purchased in Auckland and brought into the Tasman District for further distribution.”

“Police are committed to investigating both individuals and organised criminal groups including gangs who cause harm to the community through the distribution of controlled drugs. Police will continue to disrupt this criminal activity, to put them before the court and to seize any assets or profits accumulated as a result, Dye said.

“Police continue to see organised criminal groups taking advantage of the addictiveness of drugs, especially methamphetamine, to profit from it. Drug users become victims of these profit-motivated, organised criminals who do not care about the harm they inflict on users and their families,” he said.