A 19-year-old man has been arrested after Customs officers found 15.17kg of methamphetamine in his luggage at Auckland International Airport.
Customs said the discovery was made on Sunday, and the amount of methamphetamine discovered had a potential retail value of approximately $4.55 million.
The Canadian-national appeared in the Manukau District Court this morning, charged with the importation of a Class A controlled drug.
He was first identified as a risk passenger through Customs’ standard pre-arrival screening. Customs said frontline officers then questioned the man on arrival from Vancouver, Canada, and was further referred for a baggage check.
Customs located approximately 15 vacuum-sealed packages hidden amongst clothing in his suitcase. A crystal-like substance inside tested positive for mehtamphetamine.
Customs acting manager Auckland Airport Ben Wells credited the seizure to the layered defence approach and robust processes Customs had in place to catch drug couriers.
He said Customs uses several tools including intelligence and passenger targeting through data and the use of sophisticated technology to “identify high-risk passengers such as this individual”.
“Further questioning and a search by frontline officers at the airport clearly indicated that something was not right.
“As we head into the summer season, with higher traveller volumes, every intercept Customs officers make further feeds our intelligence and targeting mechanisms to help ensure that only legitimate travellers can pass through, closing the door on opportunities for criminal behaviour.”
Suspicions about drug smuggling could be reported by calling 0800 WE PROTECT in confidence. Additionally, people could also make an anonymous report by contracting Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
