Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
A joint taskforce has stopped close to 200 kilograms of methamphetamine from reaching New Zealand and Australian borders.
Comprising of predominately United States law enforcement, the taskforce was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) consisting of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), with support from New Zealand Police and the New Zealand Customs Service.
The methamphetamine was seized over a 12-month period.
Five arrests were also made in the United States.
"This result is an excellent example of the United States' work to disrupt transnational crime cells, supported by New Zealand and Australian authorities," Security and International Police Liaison Inspector Paul Newman said.
"It is clear that criminals have become connected to take advantage of this and to counter this transnational threat, law enforcement has done the same."
"For New Zealand, these arrests and seizures have prevented significant profits being made by organised crime and have also prevented considerable harm. We will continue to work alongside our international partners to ensure that those involved in this activity are held responsible for their offending," Newman said.
Customs investigations manager Dominic Adams said New Zealand's key strategy to disrupt illicit drug smuggling networks was targeting both ends of the international supply chain - upon import once the drugs reach New Zealand, as well as before export to stop the drugs from being sent here in the first place.
"While there is a lot of profit to be made by supplying drugs to New Zealand, we would like to become as unattractive as possible."
Seizures at the US border that were destined for New Zealand were increasing every year.
According to information provided to NZ Customs, US authorities were involved in seizing approximately 1102kg of border-controlled drugs - including 1087kg of methamphetamine - heading to New Zealand in 2023.
That included a single shipment of approximately 265kg of methamphetamine that was stopped in March 2023.
