Customs seized an estimated 101kg of cocaine at Auckland Airport over the weekend in what is believed to be the largest bust at a New Zealand airport.
Officers identified bags of interest arriving on a Hawaiian Airlines flight on February 15.
On examination, 85 bricks of a substance wrapped in black film and a clear plastic wrapping were found, with initial testing indicating a positive result for cocaine.
This amount of cocaine was estimated to have a street value of NZ$35.4 million and to cause up to NZ$37.8 million in social harm and cost to New Zealanders.
Customs border operations group manager Dana McDonald credited the seizure to “vigilance and agility” of frontline officers.
“Customs officers are highly trained and cognisant of how transnational organised criminal groups operate. We work hard to stop the supply of illegal drugs, with an aim to hit criminal profits, reduce the ability to cultivate user demand, and disrupt their goal to exploit New Zealand communities.
“While this seizure is a fantastic result that has stopped a significant amount of drugs from reaching and harming our communities, what is of Customs concern is that seizures at Auckland Airport have increased steadily in recent years.”
Customs have seized 183kg of drugs in the first two months of the year which McDonald said highlighted the “important role” it played in protecting New Zealand and the environment officers are operating in.
Inquiries were ongoing, Customs said.
