New Zealand: 8 Arrested Over Plan to Import Cocaine From Mexico; Both CJNG and Sinaloa Cartel Have Presence In the Country

"Anonymous" for Borderland Beat

Vest of the Filthy Few Motorcycle Club, a gang in New Zealand (source: NZ Police)

Eight people have been arrested after a joint police and New Zealand Customs Service operation allegedly disrupted plans to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the country via a Mexican cartel. Those arrested in the police raids include two patched Filthy Few gang members, police say.

Officers carried out a number of search warrants this morning at 11 properties throughout the Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Northland regions. The places were Rotorua, Te Kaha, Te Puke, Ōmokoroa, Mount Albert and Auckland CBD, as well as a boat moored in Northland.

The operation, run by the National Organised Crime Group (NOCG), has targeted key players of a drug syndicate operating in New Zealand with links to a Mexican cartel.

It is alleged those involved conspired to import a large quantity of cocaine and methamphetamine into New Zealand via shipping containers. It's also alleged some of the group imported a smaller quantity of cocaine from their Central American contacts by courier mail to sell and distribute in New Zealand.

The group, aged between 26 and 62, include two patched members of the Rotorua chapter of the Filthy Few Motorcycle Club, police said. All are due to appear in the Tauranga District Court over the coming days.

New Zealand Detective Superintendent Greg Williams and Customs investigations manager Bruce Berry showing off part of a vast meth haul in September 2019. These drugs were believed to have been owned by the Sinaloa Cartel (photo credit: Ricky Wilson)

NOCG's Acting Detective Inspector John Brunton said the investigation was another example of police working collaboratively with New Zealand Customs to prevent the devastating harm created by the sale and supply of illicit drugs.

"In this case, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated investigation team who worked around the clock, we were able to identify and disrupt this syndicate's plans before the drug shipment reached New Zealand shores," he said.

"We want to send a clear message that those importing or dealing such drugs will be found out, will be arrested and prosecuted."

Brunton said police could not rule out further arrests as the investigation was ongoing.

None of the sources about this recent multi-arrest confirmed the name of the Mexican drug cartel in question. However, reports consulted by Borderland Beat show that Mexican drug traffickers consider New Zealand a lucrative consumption market due to the high prices.

New Zealand officials say that both the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) have made pushes to enter the local drug market.

"It signals a shifting dynamic in the drug underworld. New Zealand customs says there's another emerging problem - Eastern European gangs are also targeting New Zealand", a source familiar with past investigations in New Zealand said.

"In the past, we saw a lot of Asian organised crime, but increasingly we are seeing groups like Mexican cartels and Eastern European organised crime groups."

Sources: NZHerald; RNZ; NewsHub