Officials are battling to quell rising tensions in a remote South Otago hamlet, following police drug raids this week.
Former hydro village Waipori Falls, which sits at the head of a forested river gorge about 50 minutes from Mosgiel, has been beleaguered by claims of intimidation and antisocial behaviour during recent months, including the “Mafia-style” placing of a pig’s carcass in a prominent location in October.
On Monday, police said they executed four search warrants for properties in the village of 33 residents, during which cannabis-related materials were seized from a single property.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said a 41-year-old was charged with possession of equipment to cultivate cannabis, possession of cannabis plant and cultivating cannabis, and would appear in court on January 13.
Waipori is run by its own body corporate, managing infrastructure and collective decision-making.
During recent years, it has made headlines for water infrastructure issues, leading to occasionally fractious disputes among residents.
Body corporate committee chairwoman Pam Murray said she did not wish to comment in detail on the raids, as they were “a matter for the police”.
Speculation by some residents that the raids had been instigated by neighbours or officials were without foundation and unhelpful, and only served to inflame ongoing tensions in the village, she said.
“It’s important to clarify that there is absolutely no correlation between recent property reassessment work undertaken by surveyors, and the police activity that occurred this week.
“To the best of my understanding, no information provided to the police came from within the community. My understanding is that police acted on information entirely separate from the village, and possibly in response to wider public reporting, rather than any internal complaints.
“Waipori Falls is a very small and remote community, and when issues arise they can feel more intense than they might elsewhere. It’s clear that some people in the village are feeling unsettled, and that is genuinely regrettable. The committee’s focus remains on encouraging respectful communication, following due process and helping reduce tension wherever possible.”
The recent valuation of properties had taken place as the village had not been assessed for more than 30 years.
Some property owners had refused entry to the independent surveyors during the inspection last month, Ms Murray said.
Following the incident in October, during which a pig carcass was displayed on a pole in a prominent location in the village, residents told the Otago Daily Times they believed police were reluctant to respond to incidents due to their distance from nearest station Mosgiel.
In response, Coastal Otago area commander Inspector Matenga Gray said most of those reports were not matters for the police.
“Police receive regular reports of potential offending from Waipori Falls residents. However, on inquiries being undertaken, in the vast majority of instances there is nothing to suggest criminal offending. Rather, the issues raised appear to be the result of disagreements between residents.
“Police continue to work with partner agencies and local authorities with a shared goal of encouraging residents to work together, to suppress many of the conflicts that are occurring.”