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Police seized a record number of GBLs in Wellington on Friday, including at an address in Lower Hutt.
Police have seized more of the GBL ‘date rape’ drug in the Lower Hutt raid, following a record drug seizure on Friday.
A 71-year-old man was charged following a raid in the Normandale suburb on Friday, where police seized 13.5 liters of the class B drug, GBL, and 300 g of methamphetamine.
It is part of a joint investigation between the police and Hutt Valley Customs and Waikato, called Operation Gulfport.
The man has been charged with importing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for supply and possession of GBL for supply. He appeared in Hutt Valley District Court on Monday.
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Drums containing liquid ecstasy, believed to have been imported from China, were seized by police in Wellington. On the same day, Lower Hutt police also seized 13.5 liters of the drug.
Detective Sgt. Nick Pritchard said police and Customs “have made an additional dent in the GBL market.”
“The drugs they traffic cause immeasurable harm to members of our community, and it is with great satisfaction that this operation has removed this potential harm from circulation,” he said.
It comes after police made a record seizure, the largest in New Zealand history, on Friday, raiding seven properties and seizing 400 liters of the drug, as well as 20 suspected imports.
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Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson spoke to the media after the seizures on Friday.
The seized drugs, which was part of a two-month investigation, dubbed Operation Skipjack, have a combined street value of more than $ 5 million and a social damage index cost of more than $ 30 million.
Police believe the drugs were brought into the country from China, via Auckland, and are currently working with liaison officers in Asia.
Two men were arrested and charged.
Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said there were likely more arrests and charges.
