Police have seized more than 200 kilograms of methamphetamine and arrested two people as part of a major drug operation run by the National Organised Crime Group.
A search warrant was carried out at an apartment complex in Auckland central last week as part of Operation Essex.
Operation Essex has targeted members of an overseas criminal organisation working in New Zealand.
On entering the apartment, Police discovered a wardrobe full of cardboard packing boxes. In those were plastic storage containers filled with the drug.
The more than 200kg of methamphetamine located and seized has an estimated street value of approximately $144 million.
A 60-year-old British national was located at the scene and was charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply.
He has been remanded in custody without plea and is due to next appear in the Auckland District Court on September 4.
Subsequent inquiries have lead National Organised Crime Group investigators to a second UK national, a 49-year-old man, who Police allege was supporting and aiding the other man.
He has also been charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply and remanded in custody without plea.
He is expected to appear in the Manukau District Court on August 27.
Detective Inspector Paul Newman says this a significant seizure which will come as a blow to the meth market in this country.
'Wastewater analysis indicates New Zealanders are using about 16kg of methamphetamine a week. The quantity seized then is equivalent to four months of national methamphetamine consumption,” he says.
'New Zealand is being targeted by overseas criminal networks looking to exploit our families and communities for their own gain. This quantity of methamphetamine would have caused an extraordinary amount of harm and we would have all suffered as a result.”
Detective Inspector Paul Newman says this seizure goes a long way to preventing meth-related harm in our communities.
Police urge anyone with information about drug offending to contact Police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
1 comment
Glad it's gone.
Posted on 10-08-2019 17:15 | By morepork
200 KG of gold at the moment is worth $NZ 14,881,321.56. So, this stuff is 10 TIMES more valuable than GOLD! It's no wonder people are choosing to make and market it, despite the trail of carnage and misery it leaves in our society. How can we devalue it? Get every person on it, off it, and make sure no-one ever starts...No market for it, no problem. I know, unrealistic and unlikely... User resistance? But they MUST have it, so they can't haggle. The best we can do is as seen here... deprive the market of it. (Ironically, this will actually increase the price...) But the real solution is removing the need or desire for it. We need to get to the kids before the drug lords do...
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