Five people have been arrested and an estimated $80 million in cocaine stashed in a shipping container has been seized following a joint Police and Customs investigation – the second major drug bust in Auckland this week.
Four men were arrested in the early hours of Thursday in the Auckland region as part of a joint National Organised Crime Group and Customs investigation, known as Operation Toucan.
The haul, weighing in at 150kg, was found in a container originating from Brazil that had entered the country through the Port of Tauranga, where Customs officers found 10 duffle bags filled with bricks of cocaine, Detective Inspector Tom Gollan said. The Class A drugs had been hidden among a legitimate consignment of cargo.
The container was taken to Auckland "under the watchful eye of authorities", Gollan said.
"Our detectives, supported by specialist Police units, arrested three men as they allegedly attempted to remove the cocaine from the container and transfer it into a van."
A fourth person, who police believed to have been acting as a lookout, was arrested nearby.
The criminal syndicate had been using the well-known "rip-on, rip-off" smuggling method that involved concealing contraband in a legitimate shipment without the knowledge or consent of shippers.
Gollan called the find a "significant drug seizure that will prevent substantial harm in our communities".
"It’s the second seizure of cocaine in the Auckland region this week and it only highlights the lengths organised criminal groups will go to in pursuit of profit."
On Wednesday, police were called after an estimated $40 million of cocaine was found stashed in a container at a facility in South Auckland.
Following Thursday's arrests, investigators carried out six search warrants across Auckland.
At one of the addresses, a fifth man was arrested and four high-powered firearms were seized.
Five men – aged 29, 31, 32, 36 and 41– appeared in the Auckland District Court each charged with possession of cocaine for supply, possession of firearms, and participation in an organised criminal group.
Gollan called the arrests and drug haul "a particularly concerning find" and "illustrates the link between large-scale drug dealing/importations and firearms".
Operation Toucan acknowledged the assistance provided by the Federal Police of Brazil to the investigation.
Further arrests, charges not ruled out
Customs acting investigations manager Nigel Barnes said the outcome highlighted the value of strong domestic and international collaboration to combat transnational, serious and organised crime, while protecting New Zealand’s legitimate supply chains.
"This operation began offshore, with intelligence from our international partners alerting us to the shipment before it reached New Zealand. Customs then intercepted the container in Tauranga and worked closely with police to gather evidence against the suspects who were subsequently arrested," Barnes said.
"By combining international intelligence with joint Customs and police investigative and operational expertise, we have arrested five people so far and stopped a significant quantity of cocaine from reaching the community."
The investigation was ongoing, and police and Customs were not ruling out further arrests or additional charges.
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