More than 25kg of cocaine has been seized and four men arrested following an joint investigation into the importation of the drug into Christchurch.
Police and Customs received information about a “significant importation” of cocaine that had come through Lyttelton Port on March 29.
Search warrants were then executed across the country by specialist teams to support investigators with evidence gathering.
Four men, aged between 30-36, have been arrested in Christchurch, Wellington, Tauranga and Auckland as a result of the six-week investigation.
They will face multiple charges, including possession of cocaine for supply and burglary, and will appear in various district courts across a range of dates.
Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Sparks said the seizure equated to more than 250,000 doses of cocaine and $9 million of harm.
“That is an enormous amount of damage and misery that had been heading into our communities that has now been halted through this investigation.”
Sparks said the success of the investigation was partly down to the “excellent partnership” between Customs and the police.
“We continue to have a focus on engaging with businesses and supporting their legitimate services by keeping them safe with prevention advice to deter drug trafficking organisations’ attempts to exploit their people and premises.”
Customs acting investigations manager Rachael Manning said the investigation resulted from quick action and close collaboration between the agencies as well as industry partners.
“We know that transnational and serious organised crime groups are actively targeting New Zealand to drive up both demand and supply of illegal drugs such as cocaine for maximum profit. They’re using every method possible to exploit any vulnerabilities within international supply chains, whether that’s at seaports, in secure areas or on vessels themselves.”
