More than 250kg of meth allegedly smuggled into Auckland Airport by baggage handlers this year

Police allege a group of baggage handlers at Auckland Airport were involved in smuggling, or conspiring to smuggle, close to 500kg of methamphetamine into New Zealand this year alone.

More than a dozen people appeared via audio visual link at Auckland District Court this afternoon after a joint police and customs operation, named Operation Selena.

Police said the operation had a "lasting and disruptive effect" on an organised criminal group that was "looking to increase the volumes of drugs they were hoarding".

It began after suspicious activity by baggage handlers at Auckland Airport was detected, police said.

Instructions would be received from the lead offenders via encrypted messages and face-to-face meetings in relation to impending importation of methamphetamine onboard Malaysian Airline flights, the court heard.

A number of defendants are alleged to be Air New Zealand baggage handlers, and at least one is accused of being involved in removing methamphetamine from Auckland International Airport to vehicles waiting in nearby carparks.

Bagagge handlers assisted by obtaining drugs from cargo flights and facilitating the handover from the aeroplane to other defendants, the Crown alleged.

Others were directed to drive drugs away from the airport and supply them as directed, the court heard.

Fourteen people have been charged over smuggling of methamphetamine into New Zealand. Photo / NZ Police

Twenty properties across the city were searched this morning, with police finding more than $500,000, along with a revolver and an air pistol.

Twelve men and two women are jointly charged with importing hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine into New Zealand from Malaysia and the United States between January and November.

"It shows that organised crime in New Zealand is becoming more sophisticated ... in subverting systems at the border. This was a transnational job," said customs manager intelligence, Bruce Berry.

Among those charged are two members of the King Cobras gang, who police said were among eight associates to the six baggage handlers.

One is a senior patched member, the Crown alleges, and is the "the leader, or the instigator on the New Zealand side" of the operation, the court heard.

But his lawyer said the man denies being a gang member. Relatives are associated with the gang but not him, his lawyer said.

New Zealand is an ongoing target for the expansion and increasing importation of drugs, said Detective Inspector Paul Newman from the National Organised Crime Unit.

"There is a global glut of drugs in the world, and New Zealand is among the highest paying price per gram for drugs across the spectrum.

"The traditional higher volume markets are now well saturated, and the organised crime groups are now looking for their share in a lucrative market.

"The arrests today will close that door and send a message to those who want to work with these criminals - it is just not worth it."

The group face a string of charges, including participating in an organised crime group, importing and conspiring to import, and supplying and possessing the class A drug.

The defendants are aged between 18 and 43 years old, and lived in a range of properties across Auckland including Whitford, New Lynn, Lynfield, Māngere, Manurewa and Mt Wellington.

"Their motivation is purely profit, and criminal groups will exploit people working in the supply chain and subvert it for their own financial gain," said Berry.

Fourteen people have been charged over smuggling of methamphetamine into New Zealand. Photo / NZ Police

He and Newman said the harm methamphetamine causes the community is monumental.

"The current calculations on public harm from meth is around $1.18 million per kilogram landed in New Zealand," said Newman.

"In this case, when we're talking in the region of 500kg, we're talking around $550 million in community harm ... particularly in vulnerable communities that are susceptible to this type of offending."

Berry said the drug affects the community very deeply.

"For every dollar spent on drugs that are imported is a dollar less spent on our whānau, our children and our homes."

Charges

A number of people from the alleged organised crime group have been charged with the import, possession and supply of at least 118kg of methamphetamine from Malaysia on July 31 and 113kg on June 9.

The group was also allegedly involved in the failed attempt to smuggle 200kg of methamphetamine destined for New Zealand that was intercepted at the Malaysian border last month.

"Four people were arrested in Malaysia in the days after that," police said.

"The investigation uncovered that baggage handlers at Auckland Airport were allegedly preparing to receive the shipment from Kuala Lumpur before it was intercepted by Malaysian authorities.

"The ongoing investigation has also uncovered that the baggage handlers allegedly received over 250kg of methamphetamine smuggled into New Zealand over the past 10 months."

Five people allegedly imported at least 10kg of methamphetamine from Los Angeles on July 12.

One man also faces a charge of selling "at least 100 pounds" worth of cannabis between December 2020 and this month.

Others are accused of having cash with the intent to launder money. A 31-year-old allegedly engaged in a money laundering transaction of $25,000.

Some charges hold a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The group appeared virtually in Auckland District Court today.

Interim name suppression has been granted to all defendants.

The majority have been remanded on bail without plea until the next hearing date on December 2.

One alleged King Cobra gang member was denied bail.

Inquiries are ongoing and police said they are unable to rule out further arrests.

On Saturday nine people appeared in court after a joint Police and customs operation in Northland.

It uncovered more than $8m worth of drugs, including 17kg of methamphetamine.