Raids by officials have shut down four groups that were using a Facebook page to promote black market seafood sales.
Compliance officers from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), backed by police, executed search warrants on five South Auckland properties, following a six-week investigation.
The ministry's Manukau district compliance manager Michael Greenstreet said the seafood had been sourced from the Auckland region.
"It's difficult to quantify as well, it's still part of our inquiries as we go through but there were reports on some of the sites that they were selling what they called 'super sacks' of kina
for $500."
Ten people were being spoken to and charges may be laid.