Four men face “serious charges” after a police and Customs investigation into a Wellington-based syndicate led to the seizure of 23kg of methamphetamine and more than 1000 MDMA pills.
Dubbed Operation Armani, the joint investigation identified a group smuggling “significant amounts” of drugs into New Zealand over several months.
Twenty-three kilograms of methamphetamine, with a street value of more than $8 million, was intercepted at the border, while the MDMA seized was worth around $50,000.
Search warrants were executed by police and Customs across the Wellington district.
Four men, aged 26-30, faced a range of serious charges including the import and supply of methamphetamine, and possession for supply of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis.
Police also located a loaded pistol and ammunition.
The four men have appeared in the Lower Hutt and Wellington district courts.
Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said there was an “enormous amount” of serious harm being peddled into the communities and the suppliers gave no conscious thought to the impact on those buying the drugs.
“Meth is a highly addictive, illicit substance that often leads to addiction and violence. It brings misery to families and relationships. Keeping New Zealand safe from those deriving profit from this offending is a priority for NZ police.”
He said the investigation was ongoing but police and Customs were confident they have made a dent in the supply chain.
“Evidence gathered at the scene will allege that this syndicate had been operating for some time, and that police and Customs’ actions have dismantled their offending and prevented future harm.”
Acting Customs investigations manager Matt Green said: “This investigation demonstrates how the excellent work of frontline Customs officers combined with the collaborative efforts of our police partners is protecting our communities from the scourge of illicit drugs.”
