Police executing a search warrant this morning discovered more than 40 cannabis plants and a large amount of methamphetamine items.

A Frenchman who stole forfeited cigarettes from a Customs drop-bin while working at an airport as a cleaner has escaped without a conviction.

Three people have been charged with smuggling almost 2kg of meth inside high heel shoes, a soap box, car lights, and a golf putt box.

Minister Nicky Wagner says it's a world-class vessel, and will reinforce and enhance the protection of New Zealand's maritime border.

A Latvian traveller was sentenced to imprisonment today for trying to smuggle $1.1 million of meth into the country in baby carriers and tie boxes.

Ashtrays from Malaysia, hand warmers from China and belts from France all hid ephedrine with a street value of close to $1.9 million.

The New Zealand Customs service has helped overseas authorities seize a significant amount of drugs at their borders as part of a global crack down on drug smugglers and syndicates.

A Hong Kong woman has been sentenced to more than nine years in prison for smuggling $1 million of methamphetamine in cans of pork.

Customs bust a shipment of 4000 handbags from China hiding 30kg of methamphetamine.

Law enforcement agencies could get new powers to access information stored through cloud-based technology or social media.

Exclusive: A controversial border clearance levy has generated $7.5 million more than expected after only five months.

Customs also found homemade Mongolian cheese in her luggage.

Just which passengers will be fast-tracked through the country's airports is yet to be decided - but the new system will initially be by invitation only.

A passenger from Vietnam arrived in NZ with live Siamese fighting fish in plastic bags, declaring them as "wet fish" on his arrival forms.

New Zealand Customs has destroyed more than $62 million of illicit drugs this week.

Z Energy will get back $9.5 million of the amount it paid last year to settle a dispute with New Zealand Customs.

Border officials caught the lemon smuggler at Auckland Airport after she arrived on a flight from Hong Kong on Monday.

Hayden Bacon was sentenced to almost 3 years in jail.

Almost 4 tonnes of tobacco was abandoned at New Zealand airports since duty free limits were dropped last November.

Four adorable labrador pups, who arrived from Australia on July 28, are doing a three-month intensive training course in the art of sniffing out illegal drugs and cash.

Claims of a computer being destroyed at a New Zealand airport after scans suggested a gun was being smuggled inside have baffled Customs.

A children's toy, mahjong tiles, nail polish, and a puffer jacket were just some of the objects packed with illegal substances by drug smugglers this year.

Herald investigation: Border Patrol has created an unrealistic expectation about the job of Customs officers, says the chief executive of the border protection agency.

People might not always connect Internal Affairs anti-fraud specialists with a sense of humour.

Fruit fly-infested chillies, dried frogs and a tiger tooth are among the weird goods travellers have been trying to get past New Zealand border staff in the last month.

Around $50 million worth of illegal drugs have been destroyed in a Customs drug disposal operation yesterday.

Four Asian tourists are facing life in prison after being caught allegedly trying to smuggle over 12kg of methamphetamine into the country.

Customs has stopped a $360,000 supply of a "date rape" drug from hitting our streets, in one of the biggest busts of its kind in New Zealand.