Two former Auckland Airport baggage handlers, aged 24 and 20, have been sentenced to prison after being caught attempting to smuggle 4.6kg of methamphetamine into New Zealand.
The drugs, with an estimated street value of $874,000, were discovered in a backpack that arrived on an Air New Zealand flight from Los Angeles in November 2022. The meth seizure is believed to have prevented up to $5.1 million in social harm and economic costs.
The men were convicted of attempting to possess methamphetamine for supply, receiving sentences of three years and three months, and two years and nine months respectively.
This case highlights ongoing concerns about drug smuggling at New Zealand’s borders, as it comes on the heels of a larger investigation, Operation Selena, where another airport baggage handler admitted to being part of an organised crime syndicate attempting to smuggle nearly 500kg of meth into the country.
No names. I wonder why.
Several days ago a woman was found (deceased) tangled in the baggage sorting department of an airport, which is an area inaccessible to the public and police were wondering how she got into it. Human traffickers.