A Canadian woman was arrested after trying to smuggle over 20 pounds of methamphetamine through a New Zealand airport, authorities said.
The illicit drugs were disguised as Christmas presents, New Zealand’s customs agency said earlier this week on social media.
Customs officers questioned the woman after she disembarked, the customs agency said.
The woman was arrested and is facing charges of drug importation and possession, officials said.
A Los Angeles man traveling to New Zealand was arrested in late November after security officials at Los Angeles International Airport found methamphetamine-covered clothes in his luggage.
Authorities said a Canadian woman was arrested after attempting to smuggle more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine through an airport in New Zealand. Earlier this week, the customs agency in New Zealand posted on social media that the illegal drugs were disguised as Christmas presents.
A flight from Vancouver, Canada, brought the Canadian woman—who has not been publicly identified—to Auckland on Sunday, December. 8. . The woman was questioned by customs officials after disembarking, according to the customs agency. Following a search of her carry-on duffel bag, agents discovered the drugs wrapped in festive paper.
According to the customs agency’s news release, the drugs could have been worth up to NZ$3.8 million, or $2.2 million USD.
The woman was taken into custody and is accused of possessing and importing drugs, according to authorities. The woman showed up in Manukau District Court on Tuesday and was placed under remand, according to RNZ, the public broadcaster in New Zealand.
According to Paul Williams, the manager of Auckland Airport, foreign organized crime groups frequently attempt to smuggle illegal goods into the nation during the peak travel season.
According to Williams’ statement in the press release, “But a busy airport does not mean Customs is not focused on or paying attention to anyone who may pose a drug risk.”. Williams claimed that all travelers are subjected to a risk assessment prior to their arrival in New Zealand.
Williams and his colleagues “know that drugs sent from North America are an increasing risks,” he said in the news release, and they are ready to locate and intercept such shipments, even if they are “smaller targets.”. “..”.
Security guards at Los Angeles International Airport discovered methamphetamine-streaked clothing in the luggage of a man from Los Angeles who was heading to New Zealand in late November, leading to his arrest. Approximately one kilogram, or two and a half pounds, of meth was found in the clothing overall.
The international naval operation “Orion” that same week led to the seizure of over 1,400 tons of drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, along a Pacific trafficking route that ran from South America to Australia.
