11. NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) Link to this
to the Minister of Customs
What interceptions of Contac NT has the Customs Service achieved in the last month at our border?
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON Link to this
It just keeps coming, I know. Customs officers recently intercepted at the border over 112 kilogram of pseudoephedrine-based Contac NT. This was made up of a number of different intercepts, with the largest individual one being 67.6 kilograms. This one interception resulted in a number of search warrants being executed at several addresses in Auckland last week by the Customs Service in cooperation with the New Zealand Police. The month-long operation, coded named Adrift, led to the arrest of three Chinese nationals, one of whom was a resident. The other two were in New Zealand on student visas. All three have been charged with participation in an organised criminal group, importing a class C controlled drug, and possession of a class C drug.
What is the significance of this large individual seizure and the total seizures for the month in the fight against P?
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON Link to this
It is very significant. At nearly 70 kilograms this is the largest amount of precursor drug used for the manufacture of methamphetamine to be seized this year. It was sufficient to make between 13 and 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, which would have had a street value of somewhere between $13 million and $20 million. The interceptions for the month have effectively reduced the amount of manufactured methamphetamine on the streets of New Zealand by somewhere between 22 and 33 kilograms.