Two seizures of cocaine totalling an estimated 33kg have been made by Customs at the Port of Tauranga.
Customs said both illicit bundles of kilo bricks were found in refrigerated containers on board a vessel that originated in Ecuador and transited through Panama before arriving in Tauranga on November 20.
The pair of containers had been risk-assessed as part of standard procedures and, during X-ray screening, Customs officers identified anomalies in the imagery which led to a physical inspection of the containers and their contents.
Among legitimate goods inside the containers, officers located 17 bricks of cocaine in one container and 16 in the other.
Customs estimated the total haul would be worth $11.5 million on the street.
“At this stage, Customs cannot confirm whether the two seizures are related,” a Customs spokesperson said.
Customs maritime manager Robert Smith said the agency was disrupting criminal networks and making it harder for organised crime to exploit New Zealand’s seaports.
“This seizure reflects the strength of Customs’ international and domestic intelligence, advanced risk assessment and screening technologies, and the expertise of frontline officers. Every action we take hits organised crime financially and protects our communities.”
Smith said Customs was working with police, port companies and industry partners on “hardening our borders”.
“This cooperation ensures New Zealand’s border is an unwelcoming and problematic environment for transnational, serious and organised crime to do business.”
