$12m of cocaine stashed inside container seized

Police have seized 36 kilograms of cocaine this afternoon, after its discovery stashed inside a container delivered to an Auckland business.

An investigation is now underway to locate the criminal syndicate involved in the importation.

Detective Senior Sergeant Jason Hunt, from the National Organised Crime Group, says unsuspecting workers made the discovery today.

“Staff working at the Auckland premises were going about unloading legitimate goods shipped from Brazil when the cocaine was discovered,” he says.

“It was in bags on the top of the legitimate product in the container.”

Police were contacted and detectives from the National Organised Crime Group were soon on site, seizing 36 kilograms of cocaine.

Detective Senior Sergeant Hunt says the seizure is worth around $12.6 million.

“This is a prime example of a ‘rip on’ or ‘rip off’ importation to try and sneak drugs into New Zealand,” he says.

“It’s a common method used by criminal groups where they exploit the bona-fide details of a legitimate company’s import.”

Police enquiries remain in the very early stages.

Detective Senior Sergeant Hunt confirms New Zealand Police will work with overseas law enforcement agencies as part of the investigation.

“I acknowledge the staff for doing the right thing and it’s great to have this product seized before it reached New Zealand communities.

“For context, removing this amount of cocaine from the market may have prevented up to $13m worth of social harm to the country.”