Drug smuggling through New Zealand’s busiest airport has hit unprecedented levels, with the amount of methamphetamine and cocaine intercepted at Auckland International almost doubling in a year.
Since January, Customs has intercepted 687 kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine, compared to around 380 kilograms last year.
In February, 101kg of cocaine was seized at Auckland Airport – the largest bust of its kind in New Zealand – and in April, 90 kilograms of methamphetamine were found in abandoned bags on two inbound flights in under 12 hours.
Customs' Auckland Airport manager Paul Williams said the spike this year had been significant.
"Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen almost a doubling in the number of interceptions across both couriers — passengers — and the bags that come unaccompanied and are loaded onto planes," he told 1News.
"Already for 2025 we’ve had 687 kilos of methamphetamine and cocaine."
Auckland Airport processes hundreds of flights daily, and with 1.5 million travellers expected this summer, Customs officers are ramping up efforts to stop drugs at the border.
Two expansions were made to the eGate programme in May and October, bringing the total number of countries with passport holders eligible to enter New Zealand using them to 59.
New countries on the list included Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Taiwan, Malaysia, Oman, Kuwait, Iceland, Norway, Monaco, and the Vatican City.
Chief Customs officer for workforce and systems Christoph Ernst said technology helped to speed up processing for legitimate travellers while allowing officers to focus on risk.
"It also means we can give a seamless experience to our legitimate traveller while focusing on border risk and border crime in the background."
Smugglers constantly change their methods, and Customs has responded with cutting-edge technology.
A new drug-testing device, now deployed nationwide, can detect more than 13,000 substances, including 7000 narcotics, explosives, chemical warfare agents, and precursors.
"The smuggling of drugs is changing all the time, so we’ve got to keep trying to stay on top of that," said Customs technical specialist Philip Bullen.
One of the biggest challenges to border security was trusted insiders — airport baggage handlers being recruited by smugglers.
Williams admitted it was a big issue for Customs staff.
"It’s not something I think that we’re ever going to get to the end of."
A major joint operation, Operation Matata, targeted a syndicate using unattended luggage to smuggle large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine into New Zealand.
Forty-three arrests had been made since February 2025, with 20 baggage handlers facing court and nearly 200 charges laid.
Detective Inspector Tom Gollan, from the National Organised Crime Group, said the operation exposed a syndicate that "imported controlled drugs through the airport on six occasions" with assistance from corrupt baggage handlers.
"The operation has routed out the organisers, facilitators, and baggage handlers involved in this illegal operation," he added.
Customs Minister Casey Costello said prevention at the border was critical.
"The more we can strengthen our borders, the more we can keep it out of our country. That’s a heck of a lot better result than trying to police it once it’s here,” she said.
She also confirmed work was underway on a Border Security Bill to give Customs greater powers to respond to emerging risks.
"I think it's that connection that's strengthening our responses collectively across all government agencies where we're going to see the most success."
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