The continued theft of pounamu in the South Island has prompted two Ngai Tahu hapu to speak out about the scale of the problem. Earlier this month two people caught trying to illegally export almost 18 kilograms of the precious greenstone were sentenced and fined. Poutini Ngai Tahu Runanga Co-Chairs Francois Tumahai and Paul Madgwick say more staff are needed to stop pounamu theft over such a vast geographic area and it's a 'wakeup' call.

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