In one of New Zealand’s largest methamphetamine busts, more than half a tonne of the drug was seized during a joint police and Customs operation, dubbed Operation Girder.
The 515kg of meth was found hidden inside a shipment of steel beams that had been sent from the United States by sea last month. The shipment raised suspicions during a Customs inspection in September when analysts noticed irregularities in some of the 42 steel beams. An X-ray of the consignment revealed the massive stash of meth.
The investigation, which involved the National Organised Crime Group (NOCG), led to a “controlled delivery” of the beams to track down the criminal network behind the importation. The consignment was followed to a rural address in Waikato, where a raid was conducted on Friday. As a result, five men appeared in Auckland District Court facing drug importation and supply charges. One of the accused also faced charges related to unlawful possession of firearms after a military-style semi-automatic rifle and ammunition were recovered.
Police revealed that two men had flown in from Australia and were caught in the process of breaking down the steel beams when they were arrested. Detective Inspector Colin Parmenter emphasized the significance of this seizure, stating it dealt a major blow to the illegal drug trade in New Zealand.
“This operation shows just how serious our commitment is to disrupting and dismantling transnational drug networks,” Parmenter said. “The 515kg of meth could have produced 25.7 million individual doses, so stopping this shipment has prevented immense harm.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with Parmenter indicating that more arrests could be made as police continue to target organized crime groups profiting from large-scale drug operations.
Customs also celebrated the success of Operation Girder. Terry Brown, Customs’ group manager for intelligence, investigations, and enforcement, highlighted the agency’s role in identifying the smuggling attempt. “This bust shows just how far organized crime groups will go to get their drugs into the country,” he said. “But it also shows the level of skill and determination that our teams bring to the table in stopping these operations.”
The 515kg seizure marks the third-largest methamphetamine importation intercepted at New Zealand’s border. It also underscores a troubling trend of increasingly large drug shipments entering the country.
Historically, a kilogram of meth was considered a significant find. For example, Operation Major in 2006 set a record at the time with 95kg seized. However, since 2015, law enforcement has noted a rise in both meth and cocaine shipments, with 100kg busts becoming almost routine.
Despite being a small market, New Zealand remains one of the most profitable drug markets in the world. A kilogram of meth, which might be worth a few thousand dollars in Southeast Asia or Mexico, can fetch between $100,000 and $150,000 in New Zealand. This profitability has drawn the attention of international crime syndicates and has dramatically altered the country’s criminal landscape.
