By Rachel Hart
A P-lab has moved into one of the country's poshest suburbs, Remuera.
Three people will appear in court tomorrow on drug charges, following a tip-off about a lab in a street where some of Auckland’s rich and famous live.
Surprisingly the discovery was made in a residential house on one of the country's wealthiest streets, Victoria Ave in Remuera.
The police clan lab team raided a townhouse at 7am this morning and discovered a meth lab in operation.
The discovery came as a shock to residents in the area.
“Well it is [a surprise], but knowing Auckland, I’ve almost lost my capacity for surprise,” says neighbour Shaun Laffey.
Auckland City Mayor John Banks also calls Victoria Ave home.
“Meth and its evilness could come to family today, tomorrow, next week. It is a war that we need to fight on all fronts,” he says.
Six police officers and three people from the house had to be decontaminated following the search.
Former police detective turned drug educator Mike Sabin says the location shows drugs are filtering through to every level of society.
“If you're going to manufacture and you don't want too much suspicion, then I guess the idea of doing it in a neighbourhood where you're paying exorbitant rents or to buy a property is a good place to start,” he says.
Two men - one of whom lives at the property - and a woman will appear in court tomorrow on drug-related charges.
The discovery comes a day after customs announced it had intercepted a record amount of the P precursor pseudoephedrine in 2009.
New Zealand has one of the highest addiction rates to meth in the world.
Operations like this mornings show the drug has now cut across all socio-economic boundaries.
3 News