A traveller has been arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle methamphetamine into New Zealand by soaking clothing in the drug, according to Customs officials.
According to a report by Stuff, the discovery was made at Auckland Airport after the passenger was referred for a baggage inspection. During the search, officers found dozens of clothing items inside the traveller’s suitcases, with testing later confirming that 26 of them had been saturated with the Class A drug.
The man, described as a first-time visitor to New Zealand, had arrived on a flight from Vancouver, Canada.
Customs manager for Auckland Airport, Paul Williams, said the method used to conceal the drugs was unusually sophisticated. “This was a complex concealment and shows the lengths criminals will go to in the hope of evading detection," Williams said. "But thanks to our officers’ excellent attention to detail and increasingly sophisticated passenger targeting, we have ways to identify high-risk passengers such as this individual,” Stuff has quoted.
The man was arrested on Friday and charged with importing a Class A controlled drug. He was due to appear in the Manukau District Court on Monday, April 20.
According to a report by Stuff, customs has urged the public to report any suspicions of drug smuggling. People can contact authorities in confidence by calling 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768), or provide anonymous information through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.