Customs has intercepted a major cocaine shipment at the Port of Tauranga, seizing an estimated 33 kilograms of the drug hidden inside two refrigerated shipping containers. The haul carries a street value of around $11.5 million.
The containers were aboard a vessel that departed from Ecuador and travelled through Balboa, Panama, before arriving in Tauranga on 20 November 2025. Both were flagged during routine risk assessments, prompting Customs officers to conduct x-ray screening. Anomalies in the imaging led to physical inspections.
Inside the containers, officers discovered 17 bricks of cocaine in one unit and 16 bricks in the other, stashed among legitimate cargo. Customs says it is too early to confirm whether the two finds are connected.
Customs Maritime Manager Robert Smith said the seizures highlight the effectiveness of coordinated border protection efforts aimed at disrupting organised crime. “This seizure reflects the strength of Customs’ international and domestic intelligence, advanced risk assessment and screening technologies, and the expertise of frontline officers,” he said. “Every action we take hits organised crime financially and protects our communities.”
Smith said Customs is working closely with Police, port companies and industry operators to strengthen supply chain security and make New Zealand’s maritime border increasingly difficult for transnational crime networks to exploit.
Customs is urging importers, exporters and the public to remain alert for suspicious activity. Concerns about potential drug smuggling can be reported confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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