A Brazilian man who allegedly tried to smuggle three kilograms of cocaine worth up to $1.3 million into Auckland Airport in the lining of his suitcase yesterday was today remanded in custody when he appeared in the Manukau District Court.
Customs arrested the 38-year-old at Auckland Airport yesterday.
The man arrived on a flight from Chile and was questioned by Customs.
A baggage search revealed inconsistencies in his suitcase, and Customs' drug identification device indicated the presence of cocaine which was confirmed once officers drilled into it, the department said in a statement this afternoon.
Customs Manager Passenger Operations at Auckland Airport Peter Lewis says the seizure is the result of thorough work by the department's frontline officers as well as those working behind the scenes to identify risk-travellers.
"As Customs gears up for increasing travel volumes over summer, we will be putting just as much focus on drug couriers," Mr Lewis said.
Customs has arrested seven drug couriers at Auckland Airport in the last three months.
Based on the New Zealand Drug Harm Index, these seizures have prevented around $25.7 million of additional harm to communities, Customs said.
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