Two Australia men have been charged in Auckland after Customs says it seized 100 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of up to $50 million hidden inside plastic storage pallets.
The men in their mid-twenties were due to appear in the Auckland District Court today charged with importing and possessing between 70 and 100 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Customs says the two men arrived into New Zealand through Auckland Airport in June and although their arrival cards stated they were visiting the country for a short time, Customs investigators established the men had rented a storage unit.
Yesterday Customs investigators carried out multiple search warrants, with the assistance of police, at the storage unit and where the men were staying.
The search of the storage unit located 142 black and green plastic storage pallets and evidence of drug extraction from within the pallets, Customs says.
During the search two plastic pallets were found partially disassembled, with compressed methamphetamine visible in hidden compartments, Customs says.
The search of the West Auckland home of one of the arrested men allegedly located an estimated $50,000 cash, hidden inside a dishwasher and inside a backpack. The search of a hotel room in central Auckland, where the second arrested man was staying, allegedly located keys to the storage unit.