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A transnational drug-trafficking organisation busted in the US allegedly exported cocaine and methamphetamine around the world including in ready-to-eat meal packets to New Zealand.
Two men arrested last week in Los Angeles face allegations they ran a transnational drug trafficking organisation that exported wholesale amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine - concealed within commercial products such as instant noodle packets, car parts, emergency kits and audio speakers - to New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The four men are Hoang Xuan Le, 42, a.k.a. “Big Bro”, “Blue” and “Knockout”; Tri Cao Buinguyen, 38, a.k.a. “Bro” and “Mango”; Trung Buinguyen, 40; and Narongsak Champy, 28.
They have been charged with one count of conspiracy to export controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Le and Tri Buinguyen are charged with one additional count of distribution of methamphetamine.
The transnational drug trafficking organisation allegedly imported methamphetamine to New Zealand in ready-to-eat meal packets. Photo / Drug Enforcement Agency
Buinguyen and Champy are being sought by law enforcement.
As part of the investigation, 755kg of methamphetamine has been seized along with 100kg of cocaine. The drugs are estimated to be worth up to $160 million.
It’s alleged that from at least February 2017 to September 2022, Le and Tri Buinguyen communicated with members of the drug trafficking organisation in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
“They then arranged for the export of bulk quantities of drugs from the US to these nations via air cargo, ocean freight and US mail, concealing the drugs in a variety of commercial products and falsifying their true nature on the manifests and customs documents,” the DEA said.
“The defendants allegedly used phones equipped with military-grade encryption software and encrypted messaging applications, particularly “Signal”, to coordinate the export of drugs from the United States.”
In August and September 2022, Tri Buinguyen allegedly arranged for the export to New Zealand of 32kg of methamphetamine concealed in ready-to-eat meal packets.
According to the indictment, seen by the Herald, on August 8, 2022, during a recorded meeting, at the direction Tri Buinguyen, a courier delivered to “Co Conspirator 1″ a phone equipped with the Signal application to use in communicating about exporting controlled substances.
Between August 18 and August 24, Tri Buinguyen sent to Co-Conspirator 1 instructions to coordinate the export of methamphetamine concealed in “Meals Ready-to-Eat” packets to New Zealand.
On August 24, 2022, during another call, Tri Buinguyen informed Co-Conspirator 1 that he had coordinated two test run shipments of the packets to New Zealand and that his coconspirators in New Zealand were prepared to receive shipments of controlled substances concealed in the packets.
Between August 24 and August 25, Tri Buinguyen photographs of the MRE packets and boxes that would be used to conceal methamphetamine for export to New Zealand, providing the weight and total number of packets within each box so that the person could prepare the fraudulent documents necessary to export the shipment to New Zealand.
On August 31, 2022, a courier delivered to a shipping company in Portland, Oregon, approximately 16kgs of methamphetamine, including packaging, concealed in packets for export to New Zealand.
On September 6, 2022, during a recorded meeting, Tri Buinguyen allegedly paid Co-Conspirator 1 $600 for expenses relating to the shipment of methamphetamine.
On September 17, 2022, a courier delivered another 16kgs of methamphetamine concealed in ready-to-eat packets for export to New Zealand. On September 29, 2022, Tri Buinguyen informed Co-Conspirator 1 that the two shipments were intercepted by law enforcement in New Zealand.
The group also allegedly used fake names, businesses and email accounts to communicate with others, including vendors, freight forwarders, shipping companies, customs brokers and customs officials in the US and other countries, to fraudulently disguise the drugs as legitimate commercial products.
As part of the investigation, 755kg of methamphetamine has been seized along with 100kg of cocaine. The drugs are estimated to be worth up to $160m. Photo / Drug Enforcement Agency.
“For example, Le and Tri Buinguyen allegedly directed the summer 2018 shipment to Australia of 390kg of methamphetamine concealed in packets of instant noodles and mushroom seasoning, as well as the September 2018 export of 113kg of methamphetamine and 100kg of cocaine disguised as garlic seasoning.
“Additional shipments of drugs in October 2018, November 2019, February 2020 and August 2020 were allegedly concealed in emergency kits, car parts, subwoofers and customised metal boxes.”
In June 2021, Le and Tri Buinguyen allegedly orchestrated a bulk shipment of 150kg of methamphetamine concealed in food storage buckets for export to Papua New Guinea.
If convicted, each defendant would face a maximum sentence of life in US federal prison.
The DEA said New Zealand Customs was one of the agencies that assisted the investigation.
Sam Sherwood is a Christchurch-based reporter who covers crime. He is a senior journalist who joined the Herald in 2022, and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
