New Zealand Police Find 3.5 Tons Of Cocaine In Pacific Ocean

NEW ZEALAND, WELLINGTON — New Zealand police said Wednesday that they discovered more than 3 tons of cocaine floating in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean after an international drug-smuggling syndicate dropped it there.

While no arrests had been made, police said they had dealt a financial blow to everyone from the South American drug producers to the distributors in what was the nation’s largest-ever drug seizure.

New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the cocaine was dropped in 81 bales at a floating transit point before being intercepted by a navy ship deployed to the area last week. The ship returned to the country for a six-day journey, where the drugs were documented and destroyed.

The wholesale value of the 3.2 tonnes (3.5 tons) of cocaine, according to Coster, was approximately $500 million New Zealand dollars ($316 million), and it was most likely destined for Australia.

Enough Drugs To Service New Zealand For A year

“We believe there was enough cocaine to service the Australian market for about a year, which is more than New Zealand would use in 30 years,” said Coster.

He stated that the drugs were discovered after police, customs, and the military launched Operation Hydros in December in collaboration with international partner agencies to identify and monitor the movements of suspicious vessels.

Coster stated they continued investigating the case in collaboration with other international agencies.

Bill Perry, the acting head of the Customs Service, said that the haul showed how far organized groups would go to sneak drugs into the South Pacific.

“We believe this is just an indication that transnational organized crime groups are testing the market differently,” Perry said.

SOURCE – (AP)