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Police are looking for Steven Mehrtens for drugs-related charges. - Source: ONE News
A co-offender of a major methamphetamine manufacturer is at large and police say could pose a threat to the public.
Eastern Waikato Police are looking for 56-year-old Steven Mehrtens after his associate, Scott Filer, was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for meth-related charges at the High Court in Auckland on Friday.
Detective Sergeant Glenn Tinsley said the pair are responsible for manufacturing 3-4kgs of methamphetamine with a street value of $3-4 million.
While Police are happy to have put Filer behind bars, the investigation team want to tidy up a significant "loose thread" and sentence Mehrtens.
"Mehrtens is a 56-year-old Caucasian male about 177cm tall of medium build with a distinctive large lump or growth on the right side of his neck," said Tinsley.
Mehrtens was granted electronic bail but absconded. A four-week trial held in his absence found him guilty of drug dealing offences.
The offender is known to have associates throughout the North Island and has had access to firearms in the past.
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