In a major joint operation, New Zealand Police and Customs have intercepted the country’s second-largest methamphetamine import, seizing 515 kilograms of the drug hidden inside steel beams.
The operation, codenamed Operation Girder, unfolded early Friday morning when officers swooped on a rural property in Waikato, arresting two men from Australia caught dismantling the beams.
Customs had initially identified the shipment in early September, targeting 42 steel beams sent from the United States. After intelligence gathering and x-ray scans, inconsistencies were discovered in some of the beams, leading to the detection of the concealed methamphetamine.
Detective Inspector Colin Parmenter, from the National Organised Crime Group (NOCG), hailed the operation as a major victory in the fight against transnational organised crime.
“The significant amount seized in this operation is another demonstration of the Police and Customs partnership and commitment to the disruption and dismantling of transnational organised drug networks,” said Detective Inspector Parmenter. “It’s estimated that this shipment would have gone on to produce 25.7 million individual doses of this destructive drug, and preventing this harm is a key motivation for our staff.”
The two Australian men arrested in Waikato, both New Zealand passport holders, were among five individuals apprehended during the operation. The other three were arrested during raids across Auckland and Waikato in recent days. All five men, aged between 31 and 51, appeared in Auckland District Court on Friday, facing charges related to the importation and supply of methamphetamine. One man also faces firearms charges after police discovered a military-style semi-automatic rifle and ammunition during the operation.
Terry Brown, Customs’ Group Manager Intelligence, Investigations, and Enforcement, emphasized the significance of the joint effort.
“Customs’ intelligence gathering and targeting have played a critical role in detecting this smuggling attempt and identifying people responsible,” said Brown. “This joint operation has prevented more than $570 million in harm to New Zealand communities and our economy.”
Brown added that the operation highlights the lengths to which organised crime groups are willing to go, but also the skill and determination of New Zealand’s law enforcement teams in dismantling these operations.
Investigations are ongoing, and further arrests have not been ruled out. Authorities are urging anyone with suspicions about smuggling to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 0800 555 111 or Customs confidentially at 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768).
No wonder the Fentanyl and Tranq Zombies sleep under the bridge girders…