Drug traffickers use Airbnb bases
Globetrotting criminals are using Airbnb and local storage units to establish massive drug trafficking rackets in New Zealand, police and customs investigators say.
Detective Superintendent Greg Williams said the 469 kilograms of meth seized in a shipment from Thailand equated to roughly half New Zealand’s total yearly consumption of the drug.
After the biggest-ever New Zealand Customs methamphetamine seizure yesterday, Williams said some crime syndicates were using short-term accommodation to conduct drug business.
He said some criminals would set up New Zealand front companies, get an import licence to ship goods in which drugs were stored, then stash their contraband in storage units.
‘‘It is all about evading systems.’’ Customs investigations manager Bruce Berry said nine properties, one or two commercial and the rest residential, were targeted overnight.
He said people renting out Airbnb or similar properties should ‘‘be aware of the risks’’ of accommodating drug traffickers.
He said warning signs might include people who insisted on paying cash and staying for unusually long times.
He said ‘‘tens of thousands’’ of dollars in cash had already been seized.
‘‘This is still very much a cashdriven industry,’’ Williams said.
Williams, from the police National Organised Crime Group, said New Zealand, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and Korea faced similar dangers as all five countries had high meth retail prices.
At an Auckland Customs facility yesterday, the two agencies displayed meth they said was worth $8 million, based on an estimated street value of $500 per gram.
In total, the 469kg of seized methamphetamine had an estimated street value of about $235m.
Williams said domestic gangs would have done most of the dealing or trafficking in New Zealand if the meth had not been intercepted.
Berry and Williams said that eventually the meth would be destroyed.
The method of destruction was not discussed but it would have to be done in an ecologically friendly way.
Customs said the drugs were found in a shipment from Thailand.
A shipping container with 60 electric motors was inspected and within each motor about 8kg of meth was stashed.
Authorities had already arrested at least three people and said more arrests as well as asset seizures were possible.
People renting out Airbnb or similar properties should ‘‘be aware of the risks’’ of accommodating drug traffickers. Customs investigations manager Bruce Berry