Customs has seized an estimated 101 kilograms of cocaine at Auckland International Airport over the weekend – believed to be the largest ever seizure at a New Zealand airport.
Customs officers identified a number of bags arriving on the Hawaiian Airlines flight on Saturday night during routine border enforcement activities. On examination, officers located 85 bricks of a substance that had been wrapped in black film and clear plastic wrapping. Initial testing indicated positive for cocaine.
This amount of cocaine would have had a street value of up to NZ$35.4 million and caused up to NZ$37.8 million of social harm and cost to New Zealanders, said Group Manager Border Operations, Dana McDonald.
Mr McDonald credited the record seizure to the vigilance and agility of frontline Customs officers, who play an important dual role in facilitating passengers while proactively targeting and mitigating threats to the New Zealand border.
“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,” he said.
“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. We have adapted accordingly to this threat.
“In the first two months of this year, Customs officers at Auckland Airport have already seized over 183 kilograms of drugs, which highlights the important role we play in protecting New Zealand as well as the environment we operate in.”
You can raise any suspicions with a Customs officer at the airport or call 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) in confidence or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
