Hundred million dollar New Zealand drug bust

May 26, 2006

New Zealand police officers and customs officials working with Hong Kong authorities have seized methamphetamine with a street value of $135 million dollars (NZD).

The drugs were found in a container from China, among bags of cement.

There were 96 1-kg bags of crystal methamphetamine, or P, worth $1 million each and 150kg of pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in the making of P, worth $40 million.

"It's a group that's operating offshore that's sending produce to New Zealand and possibly to other places," Police Detective Inspector, Bruce Good said. The inquiry team also found loaded guns, fake passports and $50,000 in cash while searching an Auckland home. Weapons discovered included a M16 assault rifle, three handguns and a tiny pen gun, which is banned in New Zealand.

Six people have been charged and are in custody, two New Zealanders, one person from Hong Kong and three from mainland China.

This is 10 times bigger than any other drug bust in New Zealand, reports Detective Superintendent Nick Perry. The previous largest confiscation of crystal methamphetamine was just over 8 kg, which was discovered in Wellington after being smuggled into New Zealand from the Port of Auckland.