Thirty-five bricks of 'Lacoste'-branded cocaine were found hidden inside a refrigeration unit. Photo / New Zealand Customs
Thirty-five bricks of 'Lacoste'-branded cocaine were found hidden inside a refrigeration unit. Photo / New Zealand Customs
Customs have seized an estimated 35kg of “Lacoste”-branded cocaine from a shipping container at Dunedin’s Port Chalmers.
Thirty-five bricks of the Class-A drug – with an estimated street value of up to $12.25 million – were found hidden inside an empty refrigeration unit.
Its packaging featured the branding for Frenchdesigner sports fashion company Lacoste, and the bricks were inscribed with the term “LCST”.
35 bricks of the Class-A drug were found packaged with Lacoste branding - a French designer sports fashion company. Photo / Customs
New Zealand Customs said the container, which originated in South America, was flagged by Customs Intelligence for inspection before it arrived at Port Chalmers on October 26.
Customs manager of maritime Robert Smith said the seizure was a “strong reminder” that Customs applies pressure across the entire maritime border, not just at New Zealand’s largest seaports.
“While Auckland and Tauranga are often perceived as primary entry points for illicit goods, we know that transnational, serious and organised crime will attempt to exploit every port,” Smith said.
The stash was found hidden in a refrigeration unit. Photo / New Zealand Customs
“Customs conducts risk assessments for all goods and vessels at a national level. This is the first major cocaine intercept of its kind for our Dunedin team, and I’m immensely proud of their work.
“This sends a clear message to criminals that Customs is vigilant, backed by intelligence with strong domestic and international partnerships to make our border harder to breach.”
