Operation Mexted: International Drug-Smuggling Ring Busted in Major Police Raid

Authorities in New Zealand have uncovered a significant international drug-smuggling network, arresting 11 individuals and seizing nearly $1 million in cash, along with a cache of firearms, during a large-scale police operation. The operation, dubbed Operation Mexted, was a collaborative effort between the National Organised Crime Group and Customs, spanning five months and targeting a transnational criminal organization.

Among the 11 arrested were three U.S. nationals, while the origins of the remaining eight suspects have not been disclosed by police. The investigation involved multiple search warrants executed across several locations in Auckland and the Waikato region, including Māngere Bridge, Pakuranga, Ōtara, Blockhouse Bay, Papatoetoe, and Mt Wellington.

During the operation, law enforcement seized five firearms, $915,335 in cash, 791 grams of methamphetamine, 18 grams of cocaine, and 54 grams of cannabis. The alleged criminal group is accused of attempting to import 18 kilograms of methamphetamine, 408 grams of cannabis resin, and 1.6 kilograms of cannabis plants.

Acting Detective Inspector Jason Hunt of the National Organised Crime Group confirmed that the initial phase of the operation began in June. During a raid at an Airbnb in Māngere Bridge, police discovered four Glocks and a submachine gun hidden in a suitcase in an upstairs bedroom. The three Americans were arrested at an address in Onehunga and charged with importing methamphetamine and participating in an organized crime group.

In August, search warrants were executed at four properties in Pakuranga, Ōtara, Blockhouse Bay, and Papatoetoe, leading to drug importing and possession charges against four individuals. In September, police recovered over $800,000 in cash from an apartment in Takapuna and arrested a man on suspicion of money laundering. The same day, they also found 41 grams of methamphetamine and $77,000 in cash at an address in Mt Wellington.

On the day of the report, police and Customs investigators raided 10 properties in Auckland and Waikato, resulting in the arrest of seven additional people. Hunt emphasized that the operation is part of a broader effort to disrupt criminal syndicates that exploit vulnerable communities for financial gain. He noted that the joint operation with Customs and other law enforcement partners has successfully kept 900,000 doses of methamphetamine off the streets.

Simon Peterson, Customs investigations manager, highlighted the success of the joint operation in disrupting the smuggling of cannabis plants and resin into the country. Ten men, aged 23 to 39, and one woman, 33, face combined charges for drug and border offences, including unlawful possession of firearms, importation of methamphetamine, possession for supply of methamphetamine, importation of cannabis resin, and importation of cannabis plants.

This operation marks a significant step in the fight against transnational organized crime in New Zealand. As law enforcement continues to build on this success, it is clear that the collaboration between agencies is playing a crucial role in dismantling networks that threaten public safety and community well-being.