Eight people face more than 70 charges after a drugs bust in Waimate yesterday.
''There was a significant police presence in Waimate today and for a small community ... it can be quite frightening,'' Sergeant Michael van der Heyden, of Waimate, said after the raid.
He detailed how 40 officers from Timaru, Oamaru, Christchurch and Waimate executed 18 search warrants around the township yesterday.
Six men and two women were arrested.
They face 71 charges related to dealing drugs.
Multiple items were seized, including methamphetamine, synthetic cannabis, Ritalin, cannabis plants and a Taser.
Shortly after 8.30am yesterday, the 40 officers, assisted by a drug detector dog from Christchurch, split into five teams and began simultaneously executing search warrants in Waimate, which has a population of about 2800.
Over the course of the day, searches were conducted throughout the town and surrounding area, including one search in Timaru, one in St Andrews and one in Makikihi.
Waimate police were still processing people charged with drugs possession-related offences when Sgt van der Heyden spoke to the Otago Daily Times yesterday evening.
He thanked the people who yesterday had been ''exposed to a police presence'' for their patience during yesterday's blitz.
He also pointed out police had visited homes where ''not all the individuals in that home may be involved in the drug scene''.
''We were targeting people who were supplying drugs to our youth, in our town,'' he said.
Waimate Mayor Craig Rowley praised police for their work.
''It's good that they're on the ball, making sure that these people are not surviving in our town,'' he said.
''It [drug dealing] is something we don't need in this town. I'm all in favour of these search warrants.''
He said the drug arrests were not indicative of the people of Waimate.
''Unfortunately, there tends to be a very small minority group who are into this sort of stuff. They are certainly by no means a [reflection of the] standard of the people of Waimate ...'' he said.
The police operation, dubbed Operation Catalyst, started five months ago.
Sgt van der Heyden said yesterday's arrests ''significantly reduced'' the supply of drugs in the area.
''At the forefront for us is trying to keep our community safe and by reducing the availability of methamphetamine.''
The charges
In custody
To appear in the Timaru District Court today. -
• Man (19) - 15 charges: (supplying methamphetamine (7 counts), selling or offering to supply LSD (6), supplying a prescription stimulant (2).
• Man (22) - 29 charges (related to selling, offering to supply synthetic cannabis).
• Man (27) - 3 charges (supplying methamphetamine, supplying cannabis (2).
Granted bail
To appear in the Timaru District Court on November 10. -
• Woman (38) - 15 charges (supplying cannabis (13 counts), supplying prescription stimulants (2).
• Woman (49) - 1 charge (supplying cannabis).
• Man (22) - 3 charges (supplying synthetic cannabis).
• Man (23) - 3 charges (supplying synthetic cannabis; additional charges for possessing drug utensils, a restricted weapon and possessing offensive weapon).
• Man (41) - 2 charges (possessing cannabis, cultivating cannabis).
