A 50-year-old New Zealand concrete worker alleged to be involved in organised crime is being hunted by police as part of a global sting revealed last week.
Thirty-five people were arrested early last week after officers raided a large number of properties across New Zealand as part of an international operation targeting organised crime. The global operation, referred to as Operation Trojan Shield, saw gangsters tricked into planning crime on a mobile application monitored by the FBI.
Police said on Wednesday that they are seeking 50-year-old Dwight Percival Fatu "who has warrants for his arrest in relation to the recent National Organised Crime Group operation targeting users of the encrypted Anom phones". He has links to both Waikato and Auckland.
NZ Herald reports Fatu is a concrete worker from Hamilton and the warrant seeks him on 11 drug charges.
"Anyone with information in relation to his whereabouts is asked to contact Police on 105 and quote Operation Equinox, file number 201016/5636," police said. "Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
Thirty-seven search warrants were executed across Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Auckland, Central and Wellington districts overnight Monday last week, with more than 300 officers involved. Thirty-five people were arrested, with 900 charges laid and $3.7 million in assets seized. A total of 20 ounces of meth, large bags of cannabis, multiple kilograms of iodine, four firearms, 14 vehicles and over $1m in cash have been seized
Among those arrested were members of the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom, Comancheros and Head Hunters motorcycles gangs.
Since then, police have taken further actions as part of Operation Spyglass, the New Zealand specific part of the global sting.
On Friday, police charged a 27-year-old man with unlawfully possessing firearms. Six revolvers, a glock pistol, an Uzi submachine gun and ammunition were found in a Manukau storage locker along with about 500g of meth and other tablets.
Further search warrants were carried out, including at the headquarters of the Waikato Comancheros gang where four motorcycles were restrained.
By Friday, assets seized reached $5 million.
Raids also took place across Australia, Europe and the United States, with the sting considered the largest organised crime bust in history.
