Five young people are being dealt with in the courts after a police operation targeted teenage drug dealers in Dunedin.
The small operation in August and September targeted a group of high school pupils and polytechnic students.
Sergeant Trevor Thompson, of the Dunedin police tactical response group, said police received information that made them suspect marijuana dealing was going on within the group of friends, aged betwen 16 and 18.
Police then applied for warrants to intercept text messages by members of the group.
The operation, code-named "Apprentice", resulted in charges against five people.
Those arrested have all made their first appearances in court.
One 17-year-old youth has already pleaded guilty in the Dunedin District Court to supplying cannabis.
Another person pleaded not guilty and will face trial, while the other three defendants have yet to plead.
Police allege the group, who were school friends, were dealing various quantities - from single tinnies up to $100 deal bags - to friends and acquaintances.
The alleged offenders were not connected to one school in particular.
Any drug-dealing was concerning, but obviously it was particularly worrying when a group of people as young as 16 were involved, Sgt Thompson said.
None of the group would tell police where the drugs came from.
Any person's phone calls and messages could be intercepted if police could convince a judge they had reasonable grounds to believe a person was committing a crime and an interception warrant should be issued, he said.
The operation was part of the regular work of the tactical policing team.
Interception warrants
• Under the Crimes Act, police can apply to a judge for a warrant to intercept a private communication if they have reasonable grounds to believe a person has committed, or is committing, an offence; or the communication is in relation to an organised criminal enterprise; or if it is unlikely that the police investigation of the case could be brought to a successful conclusion without the granting of the warrant.
• Police must say what they want to intercept and which offence they believe the person plans to or has committed.
• Under the Telecommunications (Interception Capability) Act telecommunications companies must comply with such warrants.
• Under a basic interception warrant, police can, among other things, access emails, internet use, calls, texts and location for mobile phones, but the interception must be only on information that relates to the commission of the cited offence.
• The Search and Surveillance Bill, to be debated in Parliament this week, would allow police to use as evidence any information found in the course of carrying out activities authorised by an interception warrant, even if the warrant was issued in respect of a different offence.
