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DAVID LINKLATER / Things
A Lamborghini Huracan Evo. A car similar to this was seized on Wednesday during a morning raid. (File photo)
Police seized a Lamborghini worth almost half a million dollars during a raid on an alleged money laundering service in Auckland.
The Lamborghini Huracan, valued at $ 450,000, was seized along with a Mercedes G Wagon valued at $ 280,000, a Rayglass boat and high-end motorcycles.
During a police press conference Wednesday afternoon, Auckland police said several people had been arrested during morning raids on Te Atatū, New Lynn and Half Moon Bay.
Georgia May Gilbertson / Stuff
Detective Superintendent Iain Chapman says the money came from drug trafficking.
They were the result of an ongoing investigation into money laundering activity by the Financial Crime Group, Detective Superintendent Iain Chapman said.
Most of those arrested would appear in Auckland District Court on Thursday.
The money came from drug trafficking and the alleged money laundering service had been disguised “within a semi-legitimate business,” Chapman said.
“To a large extent, the money was injected into financial networks within New Zealand, but we were seeing a significant amount of money sent overseas to China.”
Restraining orders had also been filed in Christchurch in connection with the group, Chapman said.
“The action is going to send a very clear message to those organized crime groups … we are eliminating the professional facilitators who allow organized crime to take place in the first place.”
