Police have raided elderly women possessing 'suicide drugs' in a nationwide operation against euthanasia group Exit International, according to Fairfax.
"It's a campaign against Exit, we're well aware of it, and we're not very happy about it," Exit International director Philip Nitschke told Newshub.
"We understand there's been some infiltration by the police taskforce."
During the crackdown a Lower Hutt woman was arrested. She now faces charges of importing a class C drug.
Police will not comment on the case - or what the drug was - however it is believed to be Nembutal , which is used for assisted suicide.
However, Mr Nitschke says the woman hasn't done anything wrong and the law needs to change.
"The only way you can get the drugs is by breaking New Zealand law," he says.
At the same time in Nelson, police arrived at 76-year-old Patsy McGrath's house with a warrant to seize her helium balloon kit, which can be used in a suicide device.
Mr Nitschke warns the police that Exit's lawyers are analysing whether police have followed the law.
"It's not illegal to by a helium balloon kit," he says.
The Voluntary Euthanasia Society (VES) told Fairfax it was surprised by the raids, but wanted to distance itself from Exit International.
Mr Nitschke criticised VES, saying it has done doing nothing to help the elderly.
"VES has simply watched for years as elderly people have been suffering, then complain when we do something about it," he says.
"They'd rather sit there while people die miserable deaths."
Newshub.
