Seven Chinese men in court on drugs charges

Seven Chinese-born men facing charges after the seizure of a container with methamphetamine precursors with a street value estimated at $3 million inside were back in court today.

Jin Hui Cai, Chen Chen, Ka Ho Kao, Jia Hua Shan, Jun Qian, Jia Hua Shan and a 21-year-old with name suppression reappeared in Auckland District Court facing charges of importing pseudoephedrine and possession of pseudoephedrine for supply.

Yu, Shan and the man with name suppression were remanded in custody, while the others were released on bail.

They will appear at the High Court in Auckland for a call-over on August 25.

Charges were laid after police seized 67kg of the drug Contac NT, which could have been used to manufacture up to 20kg of pure methamphetamine, from a container at the Port of Auckland.

The drugs were allegedly hidden inside secret compartments carved into Chinese granite.

The seizure followed several months of investigation into an alleged Chinese drug ring by police and customs officers.

Police said the drugs, with a street value of $3 million, had been imported to supply Auckland methamphetamine labs.

- NZPA