Customs has seized an estimated 101 kilograms of cocaine, at Auckland International Airport over the weekend, which is believed to be the largest seizure at a New Zealand airport to date.

During routine border enforcement activities, Customs officers identified a number of bags arriving on the Hawaiian Airlines flight on Saturday night (15 February).

On examination, Customs officers located 85 bricks of a substance that had been wrapped in black film and clear plastic wrapping. Initial testing indicated positive for cocaine.

This amount of cocaine would have had a street value of up to NZ$35.4 million and caused up to NZ$37.8 million of social harm and cost to New Zealanders.

Group Manager Border Operations Dana McDonald has credited this seizure to the vigilance and agility of frontline Customs officers who play an important dual role in facilitating passengers while proactively targeting and mitigating threats to the New Zealand border.

“Customs officers are highly trained and cognisant of how transnational organised criminal groups operate. We work hard to stop the supply of illegal drugs, with an aim to hit criminal profits, reduce the ability to cultivate user demand, and disrupt their goal to exploit New Zealand communities.

“While this seizure is a fantastic result that has stopped a significant amount of drugs from reaching and harming our communities, what is of Customs concern is that seizures at Auckland Airport have increased steadily in recent years. We have adapted accordingly to this threat.

“In the first two months of this year, Customs officers at Auckland Airport have already seized over 183 kilograms of drugs, which highlights the important role we play in protecting New Zealand as well as the environment we operate in,” Mr McDonald says.

Enquiries are progressing in relation to this matter.

Everyone can help play a role in protecting New Zealand’s border and communities from illicit drugs through keeping an eye out for suspicious activity while travelling or working at airports.

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