In a joint operation, the New Zealand Police and NZ Customs seized a shipment of 613 kilograms of the drugs with an estimated value of more than $245 million dollars.
Police have arrested six people aged between 27 and 36 after the shipment was stopped at Auckland Airport last Thursday. Police say some of the arrests have links to the Comancherosmotorcycle gang.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the National Organised Crime Group had been investigating a criminal syndicate’s alleged involvement in importing controlled Class A drugs into New Zealand. Coster said this has been the “largest ever” interception of methamphetamine made at New Zealand’s borders.
The Commissioner said the seizure of more than half a tonne is a significant result by the National Organised Crime Group to combat the harm methamphetamine causes to our communities.
“Had this shipment been distributed across New Zealand it would have caused immense harm to the vulnerable communities these criminal groups were preying upon..
“Police estimate this seizure would have caused more than half a billion dollars’ worth of social harm, according to drug harm index figures,” adds Coster.
