Baggage handler unloaded meth from planes, passed on key messages to syndicate members

Wednesday, 5 June 2024

Police have charged 14 people allegedly involved in importing about half a tonne of methamphetamine from the United States and Malaysia.

Fourteen people including baggage handlers and King Cobras members were charged in November 2021 after a police investigation codenamed Operation Selena.

The accused face an array of charges, including importing hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine from Malaysia.

One baggage handler has now pleaded guilty to his part in the syndicate.

A baggage handler who passed on important messages between key members of a drug syndicate operating out of Auckland International Airport and helped unload meth from international flights, has pleaded guilty.

Kimela Piukana was one of 14 people arrested in November 2021 after a joint police and Customs investigation codenamed Operation Selena which identified a number of people involved in importing methamphetamine.

Back in November 2021, police alleged the group tried to smuggle 200kg of methamphetamine from Malaysia, but the packages were stopped at the border.

Police and Customs estimated the baggage handlers received more than 250kg of drugs from overseas in the space of 10 months.

Methamphetamine seized during Operation Selena.

Piukana appeared at the High Court at Auckland on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to a charge of participating in an organised criminal group between January and May 2021.

Other members of the alleged syndicate have pleaded not guilty and are set to go to trial later this month.

According to the agreed summary of facts, on multiple occasions throughout 2021, Piukana took instructions from another alleged syndicate member who was under the direction of the alleged head of the group.

He was told to remove methamphetamine from recently arrived international aircraft. The drugs were then driven off airport grounds and on-supplied to other members of the syndicate, the agreed summary of facts states.

Piukana passed on important messages between key members, the summary said.

In early 2021, Piukana acted as a messenger between the alleged head of the syndicate and another member.

Piukana used an encrypted messenger application called Wickr to communicate with the alleged head before texting another member.

The methamphetamine was imported through Auckland International Airport. (Generic photo)

A “test bag” was arranged to come through Auckland Airport with two others.

“Tell him duffel bag with a photo of it and make sure the bag has a fake tag on it and to message once the plane takes off with it,” a member messaged Piukana.

Then in May, the head of the syndicate allegedly arranged for an importation of a commercial quantity of methamphetamine to arrive on board a Malaysian Airlines flight.

Piukana had been arranged to help in unloading the meth and then load it into a van.

At 5.34am on May 18, Piukana received a message that the importation had been moved to the following day.

“Dox canceled (sic) today its tomorrow,” the message said.

Straight away, at 5.35am, Piukana relayed this message to another co-defendant.

“Can it's tomorrow,” Piukana said.

Piukana then told another alleged co-defendant the import had been moved to May 22.

He was arrested without incident on November 17.

On Wednesday, Piukana’s lawyer, Benjamin Mugisho asked for a conviction not to be entered as he would be seeking a discharge without conviction at the sentencing hearing.

Justice Mathew Downs remanded Piukana on bail to appear for sentencing in August.