Record-breaking drugs bust on ship at Port of Napier

The 83kg of methamphetamine seized from a vessel at the Port of Napier in late March.

Methamphetamine worth tens of millions of dollars was found on a ship at the Port of Napier in March – a record-breaking discovery of the drug in Hawke’s Bay.

Police aren’t revealing details identifying the vessel or the port from which it arrived, but say it was from South Africa and the 83kg of methamphetamine was destined for the drugs trade in Auckland, where four people, aged 27-33, have been arrested in a joint police and customs investigation named Operation Viceroy after a series of searches in the Auckland region on March 27-28.

But intelligence enabled the targeting of a vessel on which a shipment had become suspect before it arrived, although there was no evidence of any involvement of the ship’s crew or company, police say.

Hawke’s Bay Today understands none of those who have been arrested are from Hawke’s Bay, and police say they will appear in Manukau District Court on June 30.

Charges against the four arrested include importation of methamphetamine, conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and possession for supply of methamphetamine.

The methamphetamine was concealed in pallets and is the largest recorded importation of methamphetamine into Napier and the first major drug intercept out of South Africa via sea freight.

While the street value of the 83kg of methamphetamine is put at almost $29 million its seizure has prevented more than $90 million in harm to the community, police say.

The Port of Napier was the setting for a dramatic drug bust in March. Photo / Doug Laing

Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson, of the National Organised Crime Group (NOCG), says it is a considerable seizure with “more than four million doses of harm taken off the streets”.

He said the arrests mean a significant syndication has had its supply chain disrupted and demonstrate the “excellent collaboration between police and customs” and the strength of New Zealand border security. Police are continuing investigations to identify the perpetrators behind the importation.

Customs investigations manager Cam Moore said protecting Aotearoa requires a partnership approach and these sorts of drug seizures combine the hard work of a lot of people both inside and outside border enforcement.

“Alongside our partnership with police, this seizure combined customs’ targeting expertise that identified the likely suspicious shipment before it even arrived,” he said.

The result, he said, also reflects the important work our customs-controlled area teams do in Napier and other border entry points around New Zealand alongside port companies and others involved in New Zealand’s supply chain.

“Our border protect programme educates those who work at the border or international supply chain about how they can help look out for suspicious shipments or behaviours and report it confidentially,” Moore said.