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Two Kiwis In Cocaine Haul
Two New Zealanders who helped sail a yacht full of Colombian cocaine from New Zealand to Australia were caught by Sydney Customs police, in Australia's largest cocaine haul.
Five hundred kilograms of cocaine were seized from the 14 metre yacht Ngaire Wha, which police estimate to have a street value of up to NZ$286 million. Australia's previous largest cocaine haul was 225kg, seized off a boat in 1998.
The New Zealanders arrested were among two of a six person multinational syndicate including British and Australians that had been under surveillance by police for more than 18 months.
Police the syndicate loaded the boat with Colombian cocaine in New Zealand and sailed from the East-coast of the North Island to Broken Bay, just outside of Sydney.
Officers intercepted the boat as it approached Patonga beach in Broken Bay at 3am on Monday, finding 15 bales of the drug.
The New Zealander who sold the
syndicate the yacht has said he thought they were using it
for scuba diving
trips.
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