Southland Police are heading into the festive season with some extra joy after managing to make a serious dent in the region's organised crime with a week-long operation.
Southland officers arrested seven people and impounded four vehicles while also seizing three firearms, 49 rounds of ammunition, "a quantity" of methamphetamine, cannabis and cash during the operation which targeted active offenders and organised crime.
The operation comes after a spate of crimes in the region over the past few months which have been "very unsettling" for Invercargill and Southland residents, Southland Area Commander Inspector Mike Bowman said.
"We have had three tragic homicides, as well as other serious crime, and people have been understandably concerned," he said.
"As we head into the holiday season, I hope the results of this week’s operation provide our residents with the assurance that we remain absolutely focused on combating the criminal elements that seek to profit from harming our communities."
He said the holiday season is when Police typically see increases of burglaries and car thefts from cars.
"We’ll have a real focus on prevention activities in that space over the holiday period," Mr Bowman said.
Police said they would also be focusing on road safety over Christmas and New Year and will have a "visible presence on roads".
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