New Zealand Police Chief Andrew Coster said the seized cache, which contained 81 packages of cocaine, weighed 3.2 tons and had a market value of regarding $316 million (294 million euros).
the police of New Zealand declared on Wednesday that he confiscated 3.2 tons of cocaine that was floating in the Pacific Ocean, a quantity sufficient to satisfy the demand for that drug in the country during “thirty years”.
“This is the largest illicit drug discovery ever made by the New Zealand services,” New Zealand Police Chief Andrew Coster said.
Authorities believe that the cocaine, attached to a net and covered in yellow corks, was placed in a “floating transit point” from the Pacific Ocean, where the smugglers should have recovered it on the way to Australia.
“We think that [la droga] it was destined for Australia, where it would have been enough to feed the market for a year,” explained the police commissioner. “It’s more than New Zealand would use in thirty years,” added.
A navy ship intercepted the package, which was drifting hundreds of miles northwest of New Zealand, thanks to reports from the alliance. “Five Eyes”.
This collaborative intelligence network includes Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
“There is no question that this finding deals a significant financial blow to the South American producers and distributors of this product,” Coster said.
The foregoing, considering that the seizure constitutes a “important result” for the New Zealand and Australian Police Services.
However, the authorities indicated that it was too soon to determine the place of origin of the drug.
