Police say they have uncovered an elaborate scheme to import methamphetamine hidden in maple syrup, breaking a multi-million-dollar drug ring.
In January, a shipment of maple syrup from Canada was intercepted in New Zealand, with nearly three quarters of a tonne of methamphetamine hidden within.
The shipment was bound for the Australasian market, with authorities from New Zealand, Australia, and Canada working together on the investigation.
Maple syrup bottles were used to hide a massive shipment of methamphetamine, shipped to New Zealand from Canada. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said it was the largest shipment of methamphetamine New Zealand had seen at its border.
New Zealand Police worked with the New Zealand Customs Service under Operation Regis, intercepting 713 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Maple syrup bottles were used to hide a massive shipment of methamphetamine, shipped to New Zealand from Canada. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
In February, five men between 22 and 45 were arrested at a rural property near Helensville after receiving the bulk of the consignment.
A sixth man, aged 28, was arrested later, after attempting to take possession of the remainder of the shipment.
Under Operation Regis, Police and Customs intercepted 713 kilograms of methamphetamine. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Coster said authorities could not afford to relax when it came to the international drug trade.
"The international drug trade and organised crime groups are creating havoc and harm in communities around the globe, and our best opportunity to disrupt, intercept, and keep our communities safe, is to work collaboratively with other agencies, and other nations," he said.
"This seizure of nearly three quarters of a tonne shows the effectiveness of working across borders."
Police estimated the seizure would have caused close to $800 million worth of social harm, according to drug harm index figures.
"We know that drugs are a major driver of crime in New Zealand, and we see first-hand how damaging the impact of addiction in our communities is," Coster said.
New Zealand Customs Comptroller Christine Stevenson said Customs had seen an increase in transnational organised crime groups undertaking large-scale drug smuggling attempts.
Six men were arrested after the seizure. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
"It points to the determination of these criminals to peddle their harm in our communities for their own personal wealth and at the expense of our communities, regardless of the damage to social, health and wider economic wellbeing," she said.
"Our message to transnational organised crime is that we are aware of what they are doing, how they are doing it, and we will use the combined resources of New Zealand Customs and our partner agencies here in New Zealand and around the world to stop them and hit the profits they try to extract from our communities and our economy."
The six men arrested in connection to the consignment were expected to reappear in the North Shore and Auckland District Courts in due course, police said.