An analysis of the drug methamphetamine and its usage in NZ.
Customs seized more than a tonne of drugs in the first six months of this year, preventing $1 billion of potential harm to New Zealand communities.
The haul included about 434kg of methamphetamine, 407kg of MDMA, and 8kg of cocaine.
As international crime syndicates seek to exploit top-dollarprices in New Zealand, police and Customs are nabbing bigger busts of illicit drugs. Chelsea Boyle looks at some of the biggest hauls in the last year.
August 2019 - mega meth bust
Two British nationals in Auckland were allegedly busted with more than 200kg of methamphetamine - worth about $144 million on the street market - after police targeted members of an international crime syndicate.
Police arrested a 60-year-old British man after raiding a central city apartment and allegedly finding a wardrobe full of cardboard packing boxes which contained methamphetamine.
The second man, 49, - who police allege assisted the first - was arrested at the airport as he allegedly tried to flee the country.
Both are due to appear in court in the coming weeks.
One of the plastic containers containing methamphetamine. Photo / NZ Police
August 2019 - snow on Bethells Beach bound for Oz
About $3 million of cocaine, believed once destined for Australia, washed up on Bethells Beach in West Auckland and was discovered by locals walking along the shoreline.
Police found 20 tightly wrapped blue packages of cocaine at the scene.
In August 2018, occupants of a rigid inflatable boat off the northern New South Wales coast were seen offloading cocaine into the sea and were arrested.
New Zealand police believe the cocaine found on Bethells Beach appears to have been part of the same shipment, as both the markings and packaging of the drugs was consistent with that seized in Australia.
Police are investigating the $3 million find. Photo / NZ Police
August 2019 - 17 properties raided across the country
Police arrested 10 people and seized more than $1m in cash and assets after a 10-month long methamphetamine investigation.
Operation Maddale seized 20kg of methamphetamine, with a street value of more than $12m.
More than 150 police staff performed search warrants at 17 residential and commercial properties throughout the wider Auckland, Canterbury and Southland districts.
Auckland suburbs targeted included New Lynn, Blockhouse Bay, Avondale, Manukau, Mt Eden, Grey Lynn, Karaka, Greenlane, Manurewa and Northcote.
Several high-end vehicles including a Porsche Macan, Jeep Wrangler and three Harley Davidsons were seized during the raids.
Jewellery, including a necklace worth more than $70,000, was also seized.
One of the motorcycles seized from Bentinck St, New Lynn. Photo / NZ Herald
July 2019 - dirty cash & a 'sophisticated' meth scheme
Two Australian men were arrested as Customs seized up to 100kg of methamphetamine with a street value of up to $50m.
Investigations linked the man to a second male in Tauranga, also a foreign national, who was allegedly discovered with 12kg of ephedrine in his possession.
Customs investigations manager Bruce Berry said the two arrests were the result of "quick thinking".
It would have had a street value of up to $7.5m in New Zealand.
About 14.9kg of methamphetamine was discovered in four suitcases. Photo / NZ Customs
February 2019 - crystal meth concealed in golf carts
Two men protested their innocence after allegedly trying to smuggle 110kg of methamphetamine and two handguns into New Zealand inside golf cart batteries.
The large quantity of "ice-like" methamphetamine had a street value of about $55m.
A Taiwanese national, 39, and a Chinese national, 27, were arrested by Customs over the seizure.
A close-up of an opened cart battery. Photo / NZ Customs
2018 - the banana container bust
Police and Customs found more than 190kg of cocaine parcelled within five duffel bags and stowed on top of banana boxes inside a shipping container in August last year.
It was the biggest bust of the drug in New Zealand history.
The cocaine had an estimated harm value of more than $235m and would have had a street value of $28m to $36m.
The ship arrived in Auckland on August 20 after leaving Balboa, Panama, earlier that month.
A joint investigation concluded in November with the arrest of the 41-year-old in Sydney.
The parcelled cocaine found within the shipping container. Image / File
