An intercepted shipment of MDMA pressed into plate shape in Auckland has led police to seize more than 30 kilograms of cannabis, as well as MDMA and ketamine from an Invercargill property.
Two Invercargill men have been arrested and charged with possession and supply.
Southern District crime manager Detective Inspector Shona Low said the operation began at the Auckland International Mail Centre on January 6 when a package declared to contain dinner plates caught the attention of Customs officers.
An X-ray raised suspicions and testing revealed more than 2kg of MDMA had been pressed into plate shape and coated with paint.
“The package was addressed to an Invercargill property, and the Southern District Organised Crime Group immediately got to work, gathering information and preparing a search warrant,” Low said.
The property was searched, and officers turned up ketamine, cash, ammunition and cannabis, she said.
Low said the “most significant discovery” was evidence that showed a connection to another Southland address.
“Given the quantities of MDMA intercepted at the border and clear signs of a wider drug operation, police quickly obtained a search warrant for the second property and prepared to search it that same day.”
Low said police were met with an “overwhelming smell of cannabis” at the address and found more than 25kg of “high-grade” cannabis heads, packaged.
“A sizeable amount of a substance, believed to be ketamine, was also located, along with another half-kilogram of MDMA, and more than $60,000 cash.”
She said this was offending on a scale “rarely seen” in Southland.
“Serious harm has been prevented, thanks to Customs and police working closely together and acting fast.”
A 38-year-old Invercargill man appeared in the Invercargill District Court on January 24 charged with supplying ecstasy (MDMA), supplying ketamine, cultivating cannabis, possession of cannabis for supply and possession of ecstasy for supply.
He was remanded in custody.
A 34-year-old Invercargill man also appeared in the Invercargill District Court on January 28 charged with possession of ketamine and unlawfully possessing ammunition.