Two people suspected of drug smuggling are facing charges after Customs officials seized a total of 63kg of illegal drugs in separate incidents. The two cases are not thought to be connected.
On Wednesday, March 13, a 21-year-old woman was stopped at Auckland Airport. Customs officers found 37.15 kilograms of methamphetamine in her luggage. The drugs would have been worth up to NZ$13 million on the street.
Later that day, a 28-year-old man was searched, and officers found 25.71 kilograms of MDMA (ecstasy) in his suitcase. The street value of these drugs would have been up to $7.7 million in New Zealand.
“These seizures are a huge success for both our frontline officers and the intelligence and targeting experts who work behind the scenes to identify potential drug couriers before they arrive,” said Customs Auckland Airport Manager Paul Williams.
“These are large amounts of drugs to intercept in single incidents. The seizures have prevented significant harm to our communities by stopping nearly 63 kilograms of methamphetamine and MDMA from reaching our streets. This is estimated to have prevented around $41.5 million in social harm within our communities.”
Both suspects appeared in the Manukau District Court, charged with importing and possessing controlled drugs for supply. They are being held in custody until their next court appearances.
If you suspect drug smuggling, you can call Customs confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
