Customs officers are now equipped with a new tool that identifies methamphetamine and other illegal drugs on the spot in seconds.
A photo released by NZ Customs shows a package containing meth found inside a baby carrier. Photo: Supplied / NZ Customs
Fourteen portable devices, called FirstDefenders, have been supplied to staff today at Auckland International Airport.
Customs Minister Nicky Wagner said the mobile devices could identify up to 15,000 different substances.
One of the mobile devices was bought in 2014 with funding from the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act to help identify illicit drugs within seconds at the International Mail Centre.
Following its success, close to $977,000 was invested in 2015 to extend this technology to all Customs regions," Ms Wagner says.
She said there was no doubt that the world was awash with methamphetamine at the moment, and customs needed to be absolutely prepared to prevent international criminals from smuggling it in.
Ms Wagner said 380kg of methamphetamine had been stopped at the border in the past year alone.
More than 2000 lots of Class A, B and C drugs were stopped at the border at Auckland International Airport during the past year.