Drugs and cash seized by police. Photo: Police / Supplied
Police say they have busted their 25th "transnational organised crime cell" in five years, recovering 14kg of methamphetamine in the process.
The drugs, along with $400,000 in cash, were recovered from an Airbnb in Auckland last week, said Inspector Albie Alexander of the National Organised Crime Group (NOCG).
"Police believe the methamphetamine recovered originated out of Mexico."
A 36-year-old Mexican man was arrested, charged with possession for supply of methamphetamine.
NOCG director Detective Superintendent Greg Williams said the crime cells had been "constantly targeting New Zealand".
"On many occasions they are inserting their own people into the country.
"Once established here, they are importing illicit drugs, establishing supply lines to domestic markets and then moving their profits out of the country."
The meth had a street value of just under $5 million, police said, and would have done about $15.5m in harm, according to the National Drug Intelligence Bureau.
Police said further arrests and charges were possible under what they have dubbed Operation Settler.
"Police are committed to targeting this sort of operation which is undermining the wellbeing of our communities and profiting off their misery," Alexander said.
The announcement comes less than a week after police revealed New Zealand's biggest-ever drug bust - more than three tonnes of cocaine discovered floating in the Pacific Ocean.