Locked up under lockdown: Police raid gangs, seize drugs, guns and $1.2m in cash

Up to $1.2 million in cash, drugs and firearms have been seized by Police in raids on gangs - as the country was under coronavirus lockdown.

While members of the public went in lockdown in late March, authorities continued efforts to crack down on organised crime.

More than 100 search warrants around the country resulted in nearly 50 firearms being seized and more than 90 people being arrested in the last two months and over the period of alert levels 4 and 3.

Gangs targeted in that time were the Comancheros, Mongrel Mob, Black Power, Nomads, Head Hunters, Rebels, King Cobras, Mongols and the Tribesmen.

A total of 25kg of methamphetamine, 30kg of cannabis and small amounts of cocaine and other drugs such as MDMA, GBL and LSD were seized.

A whopping $1.2m in cash was found in the raids. Those arrested face more than 250 charges.

Detective Superintendent Greg Williams, manager of the Police's national organised crime group, said: "The activities these groups take part in cause harm in our communities."

Five people were arrested after search warrants were carried out in Auckland and Tokoroa.

In that case, hundreds of dollars in cash were recovered; as well as methamphetamine and rifles.