Wellington, New Zealand – New Zealand police said Wednesday they have found more than 3 tonnes of cocaine floating in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean after it was dropped by an international drug-trafficking syndicate.
While they haven’t made any arrests yet, police said they’ve dealt a financial hit to everyone from South American drug producers to distributors in the country’s largest-ever drug bust.
New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Koster said the cocaine was dumped at a floating transit point in 81 bales before it was intercepted by a navy vessel, which was deployed to the area last week. The ship then made the six-day return voyage to New Zealand, where the drugs were documented and destroyed.
Koster said the 3.2 tons (3.5 tons) of cocaine had a total value of about NZ$500 million ($316 million) and was likely destined for Australia.
“We think there is enough cocaine to serve the Australian market for about a year, and that would be more than New Zealand will use in 30 years,” Koster said.
He said police, customs and the military found the drugs after launching Operation Hydros in December in collaboration with international partner agencies to identify and monitor suspicious ship movements.
Koster said they are continuing to investigate the case with other international agencies.
Bill Perry, acting comptroller of the New Zealand Customs Service, said the shipment demonstrated the lengths organized gangs would go to smuggle drugs in the South Pacific.
“Maybe we see this as just an indication that transnational organized crime groups are testing the market in different ways so, as agencies, we need to cooperate,” Perry said.
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