Gangs using China link to import drug ingredients

Precursor drugs found stashed inside an imported sofa in Auckland. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Gangs are importing ingredients used to make methamphetamine, rather than using pharmacy shoppers, say police.

The comments follow the discovery of enough pills to make up to $15 million-worth of drugs packed inside furniture sent from China.

About 240,000 precursor pills used to make "speed" or the purer form of methamphetamine, P, were hidden inside furniture cavities. The furniture was in two containers arriving from China at the Port of Auckland in the past week.

The find came as a result of a joint operation between police, Customs and the Immigration Service. Four people were arrested.

Head of Auckland Metro Crime and Operations Superintendent Ted Cox said the most common way of getting the drug ingredients had been to have shoppers buy pills containing pseudoephedrine at pharmacies, but "the initiatives put in place over the year have closed down that source".

Mr Cox said many of the targets in Operation Vim were Chinese. Customs says China is one of the largest producers of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.

Chinese crime syndicates worked with New Zealand's local gangs, importing the drug then selling it on to be manufactured into methamphetamine.

"It seems to be working well for both parties. Our aim is to break that."

The Customs Service said people were using all kinds of methods to get the pills across the border. They put them inside furniture. They body-packed them.

Students were often used as the couriers.

Mr Cox said that one of the people caught bringing in the tablets claimed he only thought about the money, not the consequences.

"Our message is that you need to turn that equation around."

Of the four people arrested in Operation Vim, two were charged in connection with the shipping containers with importing pseudoephedrine and conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 14 years' jail.

The two other people faced various charges, including importing a Class C controlled drug.

Customs' manager for drug investigations, Simon Williamson, said pills were intercepted daily, with 1.6 million tablets seized at borders since January. That was double last year's amount.

"We have literally rooms full of pills taken at our borders," he said.

It was understood that one small packet of pre-cursor pills in China cost $2, but could make around $2000 worth of methamphetamine.