A 31-year-old Waihi man has appeared in Tauranga District Court on drug-smuggling charges. Photo: Supplied/Customs NZ
A Waihi man faces drug-smuggling charges, after Customs intercepted a parcel of roasted macadamia nuts containing two kilograms of methamphetamine as part of a wider investigation.
The 31-year-old appeared in Tauranga District Court on Tuesday.
Customs investigations manager Dominic Adams said it had not ruled out further arrests, after seizing 25 packages containing more than 28kg of methamphetamine, as well as pseudoephedrine.
They were destined for addresses in New Zealand by mail and airfreight, between November 2024 and April 2025.
Adams said the packages worth $9 million were sent to Waihi, Whangārei, Lower Hutt and Auckland.
He said packages linked to the suspected smuggling ring were also seized by overseas law enforcement agencies in the United States, Pakistan, Thailand and Australia.
"The surge in global e-commerce has significantly increased the volume of goods crossing our borders. With that growth comes heightened risk, with criminal networks and individuals increasingly attempting to exploit our airfreight and mail systems to move illicit substances."
Adams said the investigation was a result of strong international partnerships and targeting of low-quantity, high-frequency drug smuggling.
"Our officers are highly skilled, agile and ready to deploy anywhere in the country, including remote and rural communities.
"Their exceptional performance continues to result in the interception of significant quantities of illicit drugs, preventing harm, before it reaches our communities."
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