11. JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) Link to this
to the Minister of Customs
What reports has he received from the Customs Service on seizures of the rare drug DMT?
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON (Minister of Customs) Link to this
Excellent work by customs officers recently led to the seizure of 18 kilograms of the rare drug dimethyltryptamine (DMT). DMT is a hallucinogenic drug similar in its effects to LSD. The class A drug was detected in a package destined for Blenheim at the Auckland Mail Centre, and customs officers from Christchurch later arrested a 21-year-old Blenheim man, who has been charged with the importation of a class A controlled drug.
What other drugs have the Customs Service stopped at our border, and what methods have been used to try to smuggle them over the border?
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON Link to this
On 17 May New Zealand Customs Service officers in Wellington arrested a 34-year-old New Zealand male, after they became suspicious of two packages arriving from the United States. The packages contained 1.2 litres of the class B controlled drug gamma butyrolactone (GBL), which is known as the “date rape” drug. The drug had been smuggled in nail polish bottles, and it was only excellent work and vigilance by customs officers that detected it. A man is now facing class B controlled drug-importing charges, which carry a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment.