Police have successfully petitioned the High Court for the forfeiture of $2.2 million after an investigation into money held in New Zealand by a Malaysian national.
The investigation was related to a fraudulent scheme run in Malaysia, the VenusFX scheme.
Around $2.2 million was being held in two New Zealand bank accounts until it was restrained by police in April 2020.
Police said a judgment released on November 2 established there were "reasonable grounds" to believe the money was the proceeds of crime and had been sent to the country for laundering purposes.
Detective Inspector Craig Hamilton, manager asset recovery/money laundering, said: "This judgment sends a strong message to overseas criminals considering New Zealand an option for money laundering.
"The New Zealand anti-money-laundering system is designed to identify proceeds of crime, and when we do identify suspicious funds we act."
He said asset recovery investigators in New Zealand and Malaysia worked together on the case.
"Criminals around the world need to learn that New Zealand is not a safe place to send proceeds of illegal activity, if you send illicit funds here we will find them and confiscate them."
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