Police seized 250 kg of cocaine, valued at roughly 45 million U.S. dollars, from a container that entered New Zealand through the Port of Tauranga and was transported to Auckland. The joint customs‑police operation uncovered the drug hidden in ten duffel bags inside the container.
Five men, aged between 29 and 41, were arrested in Auckland. Four men were taken in the early hours of Thursday after three allegedly tried to remove the cocaine from the container and move it to a van, while a fourth, believed to be acting as a lookout, was detained nearby. The men have each been charged with possession of cocaine for supply, possession of firearms and participation in an organised crime group.
Following the arrests, investigators executed six search warrants across Auckland. The warrants uncovered four high‑powered firearms at one address and led to the arrest of a fifth man. The five suspects have appeared in the Auckland District Court.
Police said the seizure followed an earlier operation on Tuesday that captured 137 kg of cocaine in the Auckland region. This is the second major cocaine pickup in New Zealand in a week.
