Monday, 19 July 2021, 2:08 pm
Wellington Police and NZ Customs have disrupted further
significant importations of the Class B controlled drug
Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), and class C controlled drug
Eutylone, during ‘Phase Two’ of Operation
Skipjack.
November last year saw the termination of
Skipjack ‘Phase One’- an investigation into alleged
offending by a local drug dealing syndicate importing and
distributing controlled drugs known by the street names of
G, liquid ecstasy, and rinse.
“As the Operation
moved into ‘Phase Two’ this year, Police, along with our
Customs partners, identified further alleged importations by
the syndicate which had changed its methods and was now
Wellington police believe they ve stopped around a billion dollars worth of GBL drug harm 19 July 2021
It follows the wrapping up of Phase two of police Operation Skipjack - which identified and intercepted the importation of Class C drugs through the mail.
More than 20 parcels have been intercepted since November, amounting to more than seven-thousand litres of GBL.
As well, 22 search warrants have been carried out in Wellington, Hutt Valley, Kapiti Mana, Horowhenua and Palmerston North, resulting in eight arrests.
Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson says this will have a serious disruption to the drug market and the harm it causes.
News from NZ Police
Wellington Police and NZ Customs have disrupted more significant importations of the Class B controlled drug Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), and class C controlled drug Eutylone.
Last November saw the termination of Skipjack ‘Phase One’- an investigation into a local drug dealing syndicate importing and distributing controlled drugs known by the street names of G, liquid ecstasy, and rinse.
“As the Operation moved into ‘Phase Two’ this year, Police, along with our Customs partners, identified further alleged importations by the syndicate which had changed its methods and was now importing quantities through the mail system,” said Wellington District Field Crime Manager, Organised Crime, Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson says. “NZ Customs intercepted more than 20 parcels and stopped them from getting to the intended location.”
Police raids disrupt billion dollars worth of drug harm to community
Police disrupted a billion dollars worth of GBL drug harm into the community. Photo / File
Police raids disrupt billion dollars worth of drug harm to community Mon, 19 Jul 2021, 4:34PM
Police have arrested eight men and three women and seized a haul of illicit drugs that could cause an estimated billion dollars’ worth of harm to the community.
Those arrested in raids by police named Operation Skipjack phase 2 are aged between 25 and 44. Four people were previously charged in relation to phase 1 , taking the total number of arrests to 15.
Led by Wellington Police District Drugs and Organised Crime Unit, over the past two weeks more than 70 Police and Customs staff have executed 22 search warrants in Wellington, Hutt Valley, Kapiti Mana, Horowhenua and Palmerston North.