Kamini is a traditional Indian herbal medicine that contains opium. Photo: Supplied
Customs officials arrested a 66-year-old man Tuesday for allegedly smuggling 10 kilograms of Kamini pills from India.
He is scheduled to appear in Manukau District Court this afternoon.
Kamini is a traditional Indian herbal medicine that contains opium.
Popular among followers of Ayurveda and Unani medicine in the South Asian community, Kamini comes in the form of small pellets that can be swallowed like tablets.
The drug may also contain hazardous substances such as lead and mercury.
The supply, importation or possession of Kamini without a prescription is prohibited in New Zealand.
It is classified as a Class B controlled drug, making it illegal to import, sell, supply, possess or consume.
Following a two-month investigation in September, Customs investigators executed search warrants at a business address and a residential property in Auckland.
The pills, concealed in snack packets within a container of goods from India, were discovered and sent for testing.
An analysis by the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science confirmed the pills were Kamini and contained Class B and Class C controlled substances.
The pills were concealed in snack packets within a container of goods from India. Photo: Supplied
Nigel Barnes, chief Customs officer of Fraud and Prohibition, said the case was the result of an intelligence-led investigation that tracked the illicit supply chain from the border into the community.
"The evidence gathered from this investigation suggests a well-organised illicit operation, which has resulted in the arrest of this man," Barnes said.
"Kamini is a cause of concern - it contains opioids and there is a high risk of dependency," he said.
"Customs wants to stop these products from entering New Zealand communities where they can cause harm.
"We would like to advise the public, including New Zealand's Indian communities, that importing or possessing Kamini without a prescription is prohibited, and more than being illegal, it can also have significant consequences on a person's health."
