Cocaine worth $38m seized, seven arrested

Police have arrested seven people and seized up to $38 million worth of drugs in an operation targeting cocaine importation into New Zealand. Investigators located a ‘‘large’’ quantity of cocaine at a business in Auckland’s New Lynn. It’s alleged to have been extracted from a partially deconstructed boiler recently imported from Ecuador, police said yesterday. It had 190 kilograms allegedly concealed inside. Seven people, aged between 21 and 37, have been arrested, and are facing multiple charges relating to the importation and possession for supply of cocaine, as well as participating in an organised criminal group. Four were due to appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow. Three have already appeared, and were expected to reappear in the coming months. The find was part of a month-long, joint investigation by Police’s National Organised Crime Group and Customs into a local drug syndicate, called Operation Depot, which saw searches carried out across a number of Auckland properties this week.