A 7kg shipment of cocaine has been seized by Customs and the Royal New Zealand Navy after being found attached to the side of a ship's hull with a magnet. The joint operation in April combined Customs maritime along with the navy dive and explosives experts. Customs were first tipped off on the incident after receiving information about a commercial vessel heading to New Zealand with a box attached to the stern which was not part of the ship's structure. As the vessel approached New Zealand, Customs maintained regular contact with the ship’s captain and agents, working together to monitor the attachment and report suspicious activity. (Source: New Zealand Customs Service)Customs maritime manager, Robert Smith, said this method of attaching drugs to the hull of a ship was just one of the techniques that Customs and its partners continually looked out for.

Source: The Star June 11, 2024 04:03 UTC