Police are investigating after an estimated $40 million of cocaine was found stashed in a container at a facility in South Auckland.
Officers were sent to the facility on Tuesday morning after staff became "suspicious of several bags inside the container and notified authorities”, Detective Inspector Karen Bright of Counties Manukau CIB said.
"Our staff attended and located 137 individual bricks of cocaine, concealed inside several bags in the container."
The illegal haul weighed in at 137kg with an estimated street value of around $40m.
Bright said a further search also found two Glock pistols, ammunition magazines, and around 200 rounds of ammunition.
Police confirmed the shipment had arrived from the Netherlands via Balboa.
"This is a significant seizure of cocaine for this country," Bright said. "We can confirm the cocaine has been seized, and further enquiries are underway into the shipment at present.
"Police will be liaising with international law enforcement partners, and we acknowledge the assistance of New Zealand Customs with our enquiries so far."
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