Auckland cocaine ring bust - five in court charged with importation

The four men are charged with importation and possession for supply of the class A drug cocaine, plus participating in an organised criminal group. Photo / File

Five men from across Auckland have been charged with importing cocaine for supply into New Zealand, after a major police operation targeting an alleged large-scale drug ring.

They appeared before Judge Chris Sygrove in the Auckland District Court on Monday afternoon.

There were emotional scenes in the court at times, with family members of one of the men weeping as he stood in the dock while his lawyer unsuccessfully sought bail.

A father of another of the men called out “love you son” as the man was remanded back into custody after also being unsuccessful in his bail application.

They each jointly faced three charges after their arrests at the weekend: importing cocaine, possession for supply of cocaine and participating in an organised criminal group.

Supplying class A controlled drugs such as cocaine carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

It is understood the operation is ongoing and further arrests are possible. Police did not immediately comment.

Court documents list the location of the offences as New Lynn in West Auckland. The date of the alleged cocaine importation is October 3.

The defendants are aged in their 20s and 30s and are listed as living across Auckland, in Grey Lynn, Morningside, Papatoetoe, Mangere and Manurewa.

A significant number of their family members were present in the public gallery throughout the day as they were brought up one by one from custody into the dock.

Precise details of the alleged offending are unable to be reported at this stage for legal reasons.

Two of the men were remanded in custody while their lawyers prepared applications for electronically monitored bail, to be heard later this month.

Two formally sought bail via their lawyers. Their applications for bail were opposed by police.

Judge Sygrove declined to grant the men bail and remanded them in custody until January.

Details of the grounds for the police’s opposition to bail cannot be reported due to publication restrictions in the Bail Act.

The final man to appear was remanded in custody by consent until Tuesday afternoon.

Lawyers for three of the men indicated to the Judge they planned to enter not guilty pleas.

All the men who appeared sought and were granted interim suppression of their names and any identifying details until at least their next appearance.

Police were not opposed to interim name suppression.