Talking about “structural integrity”, five men have been arrested after customs found 515kg of meth hidden inside steel beams, making it New Zealand’s second-biggest meth bust in history.
What was described as “hefty” beams were sent from the USA and located in September after customs saw “inconsistencies” in the steel structures.
The authorities played it smart. Instead of seizing the beams immediately, they let them through and caught two men red-handed.
Early last Friday, police and customs raided a rural Waikato property and caught two men, who were visiting from Australia, deconstructing the beams.
Five men between the ages of 31 and 51 have been arrested. All initially appeared in the Auckland District Court last Friday, facing charges relating to importation and supply of methamphetamine.
Detective Inspector Colin Parmenter, from the National Organised Crime Group, says the seizure is a significant disruption to the New Zealand drug market.
“It’s estimated that this shipment would have gone on to produce 25.7 million individual doses of this destructive drug, and preventing this harm is a key motivation for our staff.
