During a routine container unloading process in New Zealand, a worker made a startling discovery of a large quantity of cocaine. The illicit drug shipment is estimated to have a street value of approximately US$18 million (NZ$27 million). The authorities were immediately notified, and an investigation has been launched to determine the origin and intended destination of the cocaine. This incident highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat international drug trafficking and the importance of vigilance in the freight forwarding industry.
The incident follows other recent attempts to use the container supply chain to move narcotics into NZ. In October Customs and Police services intercepted a massive shipment of 515kg of methamphetamine concealed within a container load of closed box girder steel beams. In February 2022 Police and Customs seized 725kg of cocaine concealed in a reefer container. In 2019 Police uncovered a scheme involving packages of cocaine being attached to a container vessel in a cavity near the rudder by divers at transhipment ports, and later retrieved at the Port of Tauranga.