WELLINGTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's local police have made significant arrests in relation to the supply of synthetic drugs and seized product which if manufactured, has a street value of around 1.5 million NZ dollars (1.1 million U.S. dollars), a police statement said on Friday.
The first arrest comes as part of Operation Tiger, which is an ongoing operation to target the importation of psychoactive substances, according to a statement from the police in Waitemata, a port in Auckland.
The most significant finding was a storage unit in Rodney of Auckland where 11 kg of finished synthetic drugs were found, it said.
A 58-year-old man was arrested on Thursday and charged with importing, manufacturing, and supplying psychoactive substance, the police said.
In a separate unrelated investigation by West Auckland police on behalf of the Coroner into two recent deaths suspected to be linked to synthetic drugs, Police have arrested three people for supplying the synthetic drugs the deceased are believed to have used, the statement said.
The three men arrested are aged, 22, 30 and 33. They have all been charged with selling and supplying a psychoactive substance.
Detective Inspector John Sutton said that the police will continue to work closely with customs, to reduce the impact and harm this drug is having on people, and urge communities to tell who is selling these drugs.
