Two men in the supply chain for FedEx have been jailed for their roles in smuggling 40kg of methamphetamine through Auckland International Airport.
An investigation was launched in April 2023 after Customs officers found anomalies with imported consignments that appeared to have been tampered with.
Further inquiries revealed the pair, employed in the supply chain at FedEx in Auckland, were "abusing their positions" in a Customs Controlled Area, NZ Customs said. The men accessed parcels containing the Class A drugs and removed them before presenting the consignments to Customs.
The pair were arrested after Customs investigators – working alongside senior FedEx management, who helped safeguard the supply chain – carried out searches at addresses linked to the men.
The searches revealed additional consignments intercepted in the US containing methamphetamine.
Customs said information sharing with US Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations was "critical to the success of the operation".
The men were sentenced in the Manukau District Court on December 22 after pleading guilty to the importation of methamphetamine, conspiracy to import approximately 40kg of methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine for supply.
One of the men was sentenced to nine years and 10 months in prison and the other to eight years and three months' imprisonment.
“Stopping transnational, serious and organised crime requires strong partnerships, and these convictions highlight the critical role of international collaboration and strong industry partnerships in protecting New Zealand’s borders and communities," Customs investigations manager Dominic Adams said.
“Our global network gives us the reach and intelligence to stop organised crime at every point in the supply chain. Those who think they can hide behind supply chain access should think again.”
FedEx Asia Pacific has been contacted by 1News for comment.
Anyone with suspicions about possible smuggling could contact Customs confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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