Customs says it's prevented $1 billion of harm from entering New Zealand this year by seizing more than a tonne of drugs.
Over the past six months Customs has seized four times more MDMA/ecstasy than was seized in all of last year.
Minister of Customs Jenny Salesa says, "Customs has significantly increased its focus on preventing drugs from being sent to New Zealand".
"This offshore collaboration with international law enforcement partners, has resulted in around 230 kilograms of drugs being stopped from reaching New Zealand in the first six months of 2019, and has prevented around an estimated $260 million of further potential social and economic harm to our country."
Customs' preliminary statistics for the last six months show that it has seized:
• 434 kilograms of methamphetamine – preventing an estimated $537 million of potential social and community harm
• 167 kilograms of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine precursors, which could have been converted into 125 kilograms of methamphetamine – preventing an estimated $155 million of potential social and community harm
• 407 kilograms of MDMA, also known as ecstasy – preventing an estimated $378 million of potential social and community harm
• Eight kilograms of cocaine – preventing an estimated $10 million of potential social and community harm.
Ms Salesa says its concerning to see that the 434 kilograms of methamphetamine that has been seized in the first six months of this year, is more than the record amount of 427 kilograms of methamphetamine seized in 2017.
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