Massive $280 million cocaine haul seized in Tauranga

Wednesday, 16 March 2022

16032022. News. Customs has intercepted more than 700kg of cocaine being smuggled in a shipping container that arrived in Tauranga.

Customs has seized a record-breaking 700kg haul of cocaine in Tauranga, only two weeks after seizing almost the same amount in methamphetamine in Auckland.

Customs identified the shipment from South America in January and inspected it when it arrived in Tauranga.

The total weight is estimated to be over 700 kilograms, with a potential street value of NZ$280 million that Customs said would have gone into the illicit market and transnational crime groups.

The seizure breaks its the previous record border haul of 613 kilograms of methamphetamine that was intercepted in Auckland two weeks earlier.

Customs Investigation Manager, Intelligence, Investigations and Enforcement, Cam Moore, said Customs was investigating this shipment alongside its national and international law enforcement partners.

“This extremely significant seizure, the second within two weeks, highlights how transnational organised crime groups are actively trying to exploit New Zealand. They are trying to smuggle drugs to New Zealand on an industrial scale because of the significant profits that can be made, they also want to use New Zealand to access other drug markets.

“We are not prepared to let that happen or to let them target those that live here. This seizure shows the successful efforts Customs and its partners are having in their shared focus to disrupt drug smuggling and protecting New Zealand’s borders,” Moore said.

“Customs takes a global view, joining forces with New Zealand Police and with overseas partner agencies, as well as working closely with industry to have an enduring impact against such threats to our borders.

“We will also use the intelligence and insights we gain from this investigation to our advantage in order to continue to break these networks and make New Zealand, our border, our people and our economy stronger and safer,” he said .

Detective Superintendent Greg Williams, National Organised Crime Group, said the seizure was significant and came from diligent work.

“This would have caused a huge amount of harm in any community it was distributed into. We will work alongside Customs to establish who was responsible for bringing this drug into New Zealand and to hold them accountable”.