Personal-use amounts of cocaine and cannabis were also allegedly found by police, he said.
Two people of interest to the investigation, a 43-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman, were arrested at the scene.
They were charged with a slew of drug offences, including possession for supply of methamphetamine and conspiring to deal methamphetamine.
If found guilty, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The two appeared in the Whangārei District Court on August 7.
Methamphetamine use is a huge problem in rural communities like Tinopai, according to a local leader who wants to see more police action against dealers. Photo / NZME
The 43-year-old man, who faces 28 different charges, was remanded in custody to reappear on September 21.
The 39-year-old woman, who faces five different charges, was remanded in custody to reappear on August 18.
Tinopai resident Mikaera Miru said P, or pure methamphetamine, was a serious problem in the rural community.
While he was pleased police were taking action against drug dealers, he wanted to see them make arrests in Tinopai itself, as well as nearby areas.
“I am hopeful that the police are able to assist the community in dealing with the problem here in Tinopai, because we do have a huge problem.”
In 2017, a community hui in Tinopai against P attracted more than 100 people from the small community, all resolute to eradicate meth from the area.
But Miru said it had been an uphill battle since then, with the harm from meth continuing to spread.
“This problem is rooted so deeply in our community, it’s going to take some time before we can turn this around.”
Miru hoped the police action would encourage more people to go to police with information that could lead to an arrest.
“I think a lot of people in the community are fed-up with the behaviour of some people. We don’t know the extent of their P problem but we know they’re on P.”
The latest wastewater drug testing, from January to March 2026, showed Northland had the highest methamphetamine consumption per capita of any region.
The chief executive of Kaikohe’s Whakaoranga Whānau Recovery Hub, Rhonda Zielinski, previously said she believed Northland was a hotspot for meth use because vulnerable communities were an easy target.
Ivy Te Nana and Richard Dick from Te Ara Oranga in Kaikohe say their door is always open to people wanting treatment for methamphetamine addiction. Photo / Denise Piper
‘Join us in taking a firm stance against dealers,’ police say
Stuart encouraged people to come to police, saying community information continued to play an important role in dealing with methamphetamine harm.
“We continue to applaud those in the community choosing to join us in taking a firm stance against those who are looking to profit off vulnerable communities.”
Police took a comprehensive approach to methamphetamine harm across the district, including referring people to the right services if addiction was an issue, Stuart said.
“This includes [to] Te Ara Oranga, who supports people and whānau who are impacted by methamphetamine and want to make change, reduce harm for themselves and their whānau and move toward recovery and healing.”
Te Ara Oranga was a unique partnership between police and Health New Zealand, which aimed to reduce meth-related crime and harm by treating the underlying addiction.
Information about criminal activity could also be reported to police via 105 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111, Stuart said.
The drug-dealing investigation was done by Northland police’s Meth Harm Reduction Team, while the search warrant was executed with the help of police’s Offender Prevention Team.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.