Child Found In Suspected P Lab

23/02/2007NZPA

Appalled police found a seven-year-old boy when they raided a suspected pure methamphetamine ("P") laboratory yesterday.

A 40-strong team of police, ambulance and fire officers, forensic scientists and armed offenders specialists swarmed the property in Pyes Pa, 21km south of Tauranga, at 5.45am.

Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier said police were shocked to find a small child at the house, where they also discovered large amounts of dangerous chemicals believed to be used to make P.

The boy was transferred into Child Youth and Family custody, and then taken to Tauranga hospital for an examination.

Mr Brazier told NZPA he believed the boy was now with his maternal grandmother.

Five men and one woman were arrested during the raid, including both the child's parents, a 29-year-old woman and 33-year-old man, both from Tauranga.

They were both released on bail yesterday, along with one other suspect, an unemployed male in his 30s.

They will appear in Tauranga District Court on Monday, along with the other three arrested men, all unemployed and in their 30s, who are still in police custody.

All six were jointly charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and attempting to manufacture methamphetamine.

The seven-year-old's parents, who were the tenants of the property, were also charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life.

Mr Brazier said the parents were bailed on "strict conditions", but would not say whether that included not being allowed to see their son.

A search of the house revealed stolen property, two firearms and ammunition, and a raft of further charges would follow, he said.

Environmental Science and Research analysts had finished their examination of the house last night, he said.

The operation was relatively large and appeared to have a strong gang element.

"Hopefully this will have an impact on the drug availability in the Western Bay area."

Mr Brazier said it was not the first time a child had been exposed to P manufacturing, but it wasn't a common occurrence.

"All the police who arrived and saw this child there were appalled that a child could be subjected to what are extremely toxic and flammable chemicals."

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