Police have been involved in a large international operation targeting organised crime.
Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
They say a number of people charged with drug dealing and money laundering offences will appear in court today.
Earlier, they said search warrants were executed in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Wellington.
National Organised Crime Group director detective superintendent Greg Williams will speak at a media briefing at 11am.
Police have not released any further details about the searches nor the international aspect of the operation.
However, media reports from around the world are saying there has been a large international bust co-ordinated by Europol – the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation.
The European Union police agency also said it would hold a press conference about the bust, which they have described as “a major law enforcement measure against the world’s leading criminals” in more than 12 countries.
There have been raids in German, and Europol reports that the operation “is the most sophisticated effort to date in disrupting the activities of criminals operating from all four corners of the world.”
It is also going to hold a press conference and representatives from the FBI and Dutch, Swedish and Australian police would be there.
RNZ has asked New Zealand police if this operation was the one they are involved with.
It said there was nothing more it would say until the news conference later this morning.
