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Police investigate a suspected P lab in Auckland - Source: ONE News -
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A man known as "Pete the terrorist" is among those arrested in a police swoop on a suspected drug ring spanning Auckland and Northland.
More than 200 investigators executed 22 search warrants across Auckland, Waikato, Northland and Wellington yesterday, police revealed this afternoon.
The six clan labs operated from a variety of residential, commercial and rural properties, and had been manufacturing methamphetamine and Ecstasy, police said.
They were found in the Auckland suburbs of Ponsonby, Otahuhu, Glen Innes, Glenfield, and Waipu in Northland.
Along with firearms, crossbows and explosives, police say they seized 140 grams of methamphetamine.
Detective Inspector Greg Cramer, Waitemata Police's Field Crime Manager, said the raids came after an "intensive" six-month investigation.
"Some major players are now out of the drug industry as a result of this investigation," he said.
Ten men and one woman were arrested and appeared in Auckland District Court today charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and Ecstasy.
ONE News can reveal Peter Francis Atkinson, also known in police circles as "Pete the terrorist", was one of the men.
Atkinson was facing four charges of manufacturing methamphetamine and one of supplying the drug.
The Armed Offenders Squad, Specialist Search Teams, Clan Lab investigators, drug dogs, and specialist members of the ESR as well as CYFS were involved in yesterday's operation.
A .25 calibre pistol with numerous rounds of ammunition and a lever action shot gun loaded with five cartridges were found at a Coromandel address as part of the investigation. A loaded crossbow and a sawn off shotgun together with ammunition were also located in Auckland.
Five motor vehicles and two expensive motor cycles were also seized.
Children found at P Labs
Cramer said police were extremely concerned to discover that several children were living in premises where the dangerous labs were housed.
An 11-year-old boy was found in a house where a lab was in active production, he said.
At another lab location, police found a 15-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy living at the address.
They were now in the custody of Child, Youth and Family.
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