A routine police visit in Reefton last night resulted in five arrests for methamphetamine and cannabis use.
All five - a Westport man and four Reefton residents - were held in custody overnight awaiting appearance in the Greymouth District Court.
Senior Sergeant Brent Cook, of Greymouth, said local police were conducting routine inquiries at an address about 5pm when they came across two men and a woman consuming methamphetamine, also known as "P".
During a subsequent search, some associates also at the address where the initial trio were seen, tried to obstruct police and were arrested.
"During that investigation several other parties became involved... things got heated. As a result, two females and three males were arrested," Mr Cook said.
"Five of them were obviously gathered together for 'a sesh' and it went pear-shaped for them."
A 21-year-old man was charged with obstruction, cannabis oil possession, possessing a cannabis pipe, and breaching bail.
A 22-year-old woman was charged with obstruction, possessing utensils for P, possessing P, possessing cannabis oil, and using cannabis.
A 32-year-old Westport man at the address was found to be wanted for failing to appear in court, a 49-year-old Reefton woman was also found to be breaching her bail, and a 25-year-old Reefton man was in breach of his home detention conditions.
Mr Cook said the arrests showed police were "acting on any information" they received.
The potential for a group like that gathered in such a way for other "offending in society" and in the Reefton community was real and it was good work by the two local constables who had executed the arrests, he said.
- By Brendon McMahon
