Operation Matata: Major Drug Smuggling Bust at Auckland International Airport

Auckland, New Zealand — A major drug smuggling operation has been dismantled in a sweeping police and customs investigation, with 15 current and former baggage handlers at Auckland International Airport now facing charges. The operation, named Operation Matata, has uncovered a transnational organized crime network working in tandem with local gangs to smuggle large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine into New Zealand.

The investigation, which involved close collaboration with international law enforcement agencies, has led to the seizure of over 631 kilograms of methamphetamine and 112 kilograms of cocaine. These drugs were allegedly being transported through unattended baggage on international flights, primarily through Auckland International Airport.

On June 24, 18 individuals were arrested, and a further nine are now facing serious criminal charges. Investigators executed 19 search warrants across Auckland on Wednesday, uncovering approximately $150,000 in cash and other evidence linked to the smuggling operation.

According to Detective Inspector Tom Gollan of the National Organised Crime Group, the investigation has exposed a coordinated effort to bypass security protocols. “Police will allege the group's operation involved placing unaccompanied bags on international flights, which were then covertly removed on arrival in Auckland by corrupt baggage handlers,” he said.

Flights involved in the smuggling network originated from cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Santiago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. The most recent seizure involved 50 kilograms of methamphetamine smuggled aboard a flight from Malaysia on June 18, 2025.

“It will be alleged one of the arrested individuals gained unauthorized airside access at Auckland International Airport and was observed piloting a baggage cart towards the aircraft,” Gollan said. “The man's attempts were thwarted by a swift and coordinated response from police, customs and other agencies.”

Authorities have emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration with airport operators and other agencies to combat insider threats. “Multiple investigations over the last few years, reaching back to Operation Selena, means that we have a very good understanding now of any nefarious activity occurring around the arrival of planes and the deplaning of luggage,” Gollan said.

Efforts to make the airport more resilient to such criminal behavior have forced organized crime groups to modify their operations, making them more vulnerable to detection. The success of Operation Matata highlights the effectiveness of these measures and the continued vigilance of law enforcement in combating drug smuggling at New Zealand’s borders.

With this latest arrest, the focus remains on dismantling the networks behind these operations and ensuring that such smuggling attempts are increasingly difficult to execute.