Source: Radio New Zealand
Twenty search warrants were carried out across the Auckland region on Thursday. LDR / Stuff / Stephen Forbes
Police have made further arrests in attempts to dismantle an international organised crime syndicate smuggling Class A drugs through Auckland Airport.
Twenty search warrants were carried out across the Auckland region on Thursday by the National Organised Crime Group and Customs, with eight associates from the Brotherhood 28 MC gang arrested – including its president.
They were charged with 170 separate drug offences.
Detective Inspector Tom Gollan said since the beginning of the year, police had seized two consignments of drugs, totalling 630kg of methamphetamine worth $220 million, and 112kg of cocaine worth $50.4m, as part of Operation Matata.
During Thursday’s warrants police also seized $50,000 in cash, multiple rounds of ammunition, along with jewellery and electronic devices.
None of those arrested in this week’s search warrants were baggage handlers, but facilitators and controllers sitting over the top of the syndicate, Gollan said.
Drugs seized as part of Operation Matata. Police / Supplied
Since February, there had been 43 arrests in total, 20 of which were baggage handlers employed by baggage handling companies operating at Auckland Airport.
Police have been working in collaboration with.. Homeland Security Investigations in the US, police liaison officers in other countries, and NZ Customs.
Customs investigations manager Dominic Adams said the operation sent a strong message that attempts to exploit positions of privilege would be targeted and stopped.
“New Zealand’s high volume of legitimate trade and travel creates opportunities for criminal infiltration,” he said.
“This is not a new method used by transnational syndicates – it has been an issue around the world for several years – we are not immune to it.
“Every day, our teams work nationally and internationally to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen New Zealand’s border.”
Auckland Airport head of terminal operations Richard Deihl said: “These latest arrests demonstrate the strong and effective collaboration between police, Customs and the airport community to disrupt the global drugs trade and prevent harmful substances from reaching our community.
“Everyone in the airport system, from airlines to ground handlers and the airport company itself, is united in our commitment to stamp out drug trafficking at the border.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
