Customs officers at the Port of Tauranga have seized an estimated 45 kilograms of cocaine, worth a retail street value of NZ$15.75 million, as part of its ongoing inspections work programme.

A container, originating in Houston, United States, made its way to Balboa, Panama where it stayed in transit before arriving in Tauranga on Friday 4 December 2025, with Customs officers ready to conduct further screening.

The container had been risk-assessed as part of standard Customs pre-arrival procedures for all incoming sea cargo and vessels. During x-ray screening, Customs officers identified anomalies in the imagery, which led to a physical inspection of the container and its contents.

Hidden amongst legitimate goods, Customs officers located two plastic wrapped bags that contained a total of 45 cocaine bricks, each weighing one kilogram. The bricks had an assortment of outer brandings including Volvo, Porsche, and a hamster wearing a crown.

Customs Manager Maritime, Robert Smith, says Customs remains vigilant at New Zealand’s seaports, working to disrupt transnational, serious and organised crime groups from exploiting our maritime border and legitimate trade routes and shipments.

“This cocaine seizure demonstrates the ongoing work of Customs frontline officers who continue to put pressure on criminal networks, making it harder for them to operate through our seaports.

“It also reinforces the value Customs’ intelligence-driven, multi-layered approach to protecting New Zealand’s borders. Every seizure we make strengthens our intelligence and our ability to target criminal networks.”

“Alongside Customs’ border protection measures, we work closely with industry stakeholders such as port and shipping and logistics companies and we encourage reporting of potential suspicious behaviour through our programme, Border Protect: At our seaports,” Mr Smith says.

Customs urges industry workers and the public to remain vigilant and help play a part in stopping organised crime. Suspicions about potential drug smuggling can be reported confidentially to 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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