HONG KONG: A 20-year-old Hong Kong man will spend 15 years and five months in prison after importing about $176 million of methamphetamine into New Zealand. Kai Yip Cheung was arrested in October 2016 following a 16-month investigation into a company thought to have been set up to smuggle the drug. Customs intercepted 10 shipping containers sent from China in July 2016 and discovered several packages, containing nearly 200kg of meth.The methamphetamine was hidden inside various packages which were concealed in container doors. The methamphetamine was hidden inside various packages which were concealed in container doors. Cheung was sentenced in the Auckland District Court on Tuesday.
Customs spokesman Jamie Bamford said he was pleased with the outcome. “This investigation required solid intelligence work, close collaboration with counterparts in Hong Kong and China, and extensive examination to extract meth that had been concealed in a very sophisticated way.” “Criminal syndicates will continue to try to smuggle drugs into the country as long as they can source drugs cheaply overseas and make a profit. “This is a global issue and Customs will continue to do everything possible to disrupt drug smuggling.”