New Zealand: New Zealand police said on Wednesday they found more than 3 tonnes of cocaine floating in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean after it was dropped there by an international drug-smuggling syndicate. Police said they dealt a financial blow to everyone involved in the country’s biggest-ever drug seizure, from South American producers to dealers of the substance, even though they have yet to make any arrests. According to New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Koster, 81 bales of cocaine were dumped at the floating transit point before being seized by a navy ship stationed there since last week. The ship made a six-day voyage back to New Zealand, where the drugs were being documented and destroyed.
The drugs found floating in the sea have a market value of around NZ$500 million (US$316 million).
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“We believe there was enough cocaine to service the Australian market for about a year, and this would exceed New Zealand’s use in 30 years,” Koster said.
Read more and watch the video here https://t.co/fZLdds1mto‘-lol-cocaine pic.twitter.com/dnXTQZb8t4– New Zealand Police (@nzpolice) February 8, 2023
He said the drugs were discovered following the launch of Operation Hydros in December by police, customs and the military in collaboration with foreign partner agencies to track and identify suspicious vessels.
Acting New Zealand Customs Service comptroller Bill Perry said the incident showed the lengths to which organized syndicates would go to smuggle drugs across the South Pacific.