World News

A woman has been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle meth, disguised as Christmas presents, in a bag she was carrying.

A Canadian woman has been arrested after trying to smuggle more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine through a New Zealand airport, authorities said. Illicit drugs were disguised as Christmas presents, New Zealand’s anti-trafficking agency said earlier this week on social media.

The Canadian woman, who has not been publicly identified, arrived in Auckland on a flight from Vancouver, Canada, on Sunday, December 8. Police searched the woman after she got off the boat, the transport said. Agents then searched his duffel bag and found the drugs, wrapped in festive wrapping paper.

The drugs were worth up to NZ$3.8 million, or $2.2 million USD, the transport agency said in a news release.

A duffel bag with hidden drugs.

New Zealand Customs Service


The woman was arrested and charged with drug importation and drug possession, officials said. New Zealand public broadcaster RNZ reported that the woman appeared in the Manukau District Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody.

Auckland Airport Manager Paul Williams said organized crime groups from around the world often try to use the busy travel time to smuggle illegal goods into the country.

“But a busy airport does not mean that Customs is not focused or paying attention to anyone who may be at risk of drugs,” Williams said in a statement. Williams said every passenger arriving in New Zealand is assessed for risk before they arrive in the country.

Williams said in a news release that he and his colleagues “know that drug shipments from North America are a growing threat” and are prepared to find and seize such items, even if they are “small targets.”

469781528-989667303191660-7766846796939293539-n.jpg
Hidden drugs.

New Zealand Customs Service


A A man from Los Angeles to New Zealand was arrested in late November after security officials at Los Angeles International Airport found clothing laced with methamphetamine in his luggage. In total, about a kilogram, or 2.2 kilograms, of meth was recovered from the clothing.

This week, the international mission “Orion” cause a seizure more than 1,400 tons of drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, along the Pacific smuggling route from South America to Australia.

US authorities breached the an international drug trafficking ring which was smuggling methamphetamine to foreign countries, including Australia and New Zealand, in February. Those drugs were allegedly smuggled in several ships, including books and children’s dolls.


Source link

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button