Nearly 70kg of pre-cursor drugs seized in Auckland operation

Three people have been arrested and 67.6 kilograms of pseudoephedrine based ContacNT capsules seized in a combined Auckland Police metro drug squad and New Zealand Customs operation this week.

Detective Senior Sergeant Bruce Howard, from the AMCOS drugs and organised crime team, said the arrests and seizure followed a month-long operation codenamed ‘Adrift’.

It’s the largest amount of the pre-cursor drug used for the manufacture of methamphetamine to be seized this year. In April last year 110kg was seized.

“We believe the quantity seized this week was sufficient to manufacture between 13 and 20 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of between $13 and $20 million,” Detective Senior Sergeant Howard said.

Search warrants were executed a several addresses in Auckland leading to the arrest of three Chinese nationals, one of whom is resident in New Zealand. The other two are in New Zealand on student visas.

All three have been charged with:
• participation in an organised criminal group
• importing a Class C controlled drug
• possession of a Class C controlled drug for supply.

Those arrested have appeared in the Auckland District Court. A 33-year-old unemployed man has been remanded in custody to reappear on 25 May; a 31-year-old female student has been remanded in custody to reappear on 25 May and a 23-year-old male student was to reappear today for a bail hearing.

Further inquiries within New Zealand and China are being made.

Detective Senior Sergeant Howard said the operation illustrates the on-going commitment of law enforcement and other agencies in tackling methamphetamine, particularly around the supply networks