About $12m in cocaine was seized by police. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Thirty-six kilograms of cocaine – valued at over $12 million – was discovered by unsuspecting workers in a container delivered to an Auckland business today.
Detective Senior Sergeant Jason Hunt, from the National Organised Crime Group, stated that an investigation is underway to locate the criminal syndicate responsible for smuggling the drug into the country.
Hunt mentioned that the staff at the business found the drugs while unloading legitimate goods shipped from Brazil.
The police seized 36 kilograms of cocaine, estimated to be worth about $12.6 million.
Cocaine was located in these bags, on top of legitimate product. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Hunt revealed that the cocaine was found in bags on top of the legitimate product in the container.
“This is a typical example of a ‘rip on’ or ‘rip off’ smuggling attempt to sneak drugs into New Zealand,” he explained.
“It’s a common tactic used by criminal organizations to exploit the legitimate import details of a genuine company.”
The police indicated that their investigation is still in its early stages.
