- Police and Customs intercepted a major drug shipment disguised as dining plates.
- Officers seized over 30kg of cannabis, MDMA, ketamine, cash, and ammunition.
- Two Invercargill men were arrested and are now facing serious drug charges.
Police have uncovered a large-scale drug operation in Southland after Customs officers in Auckland intercepted a suspicious package declared as dining plates. The operation led to the seizure of over 30kg of cannabis, significant amounts of MDMA and ketamine, and more than $60,000 in cash.
The investigation began at the Auckland International Mail Centre on 6 January 2025, when Customs officers detected abnormalities in a package addressed to an Invercargill property. The package, claimed to contain dining plates, raised suspicions after an X-ray scan. Further testing confirmed that over 2kg of MDMA had been moulded into plate shapes and coated with paint.
Following this discovery, the Southern District Organised Crime Group began gathering intelligence. On 23 January, Police executed a search warrant at the Invercargill address, uncovering ketamine, cash, ammunition, and cannabis. The investigation then led officers to a second Southland property, where they discovered a sophisticated cannabis operation.
“At that address, Police were met with an overwhelming smell of cannabis and found a sophisticated grow set-up, numerous plants, and more than 25kg of high-grade cannabis head, packaged and ready to be sold,” said Southern District Crime Manager Detective Inspector Shona Low.
Further searches uncovered another half-kilogram of MDMA, a sizeable amount of suspected ketamine, and $60,400 in cash. Ammunition for various firearms was also seized.
“This is offending on a scale rarely seen in Southland and serious harm has been prevented, thanks to Customs and Police working closely together and acting fast,” Low said.
Police emphasised that this was not a small-scale drug operation but a highly organised scheme focused on profit, with no regard for the harm caused to the community.
“The drug trade feeds people’s addictions and fuels crime by encouraging desperate individuals to steal in order to pay for their next hit,” Low stated. “We know this won’t stop the supply of drugs, it won’t stop organised crime groups or others from trying to profit from addiction, but it will put a noticeable dent in the availability of illegal drugs in the district and the harm caused by them.”
Two men have been arrested in connection with the operation. A 38-year-old Invercargill man appeared in court on 24 January, facing multiple charges, including supplying MDMA and ketamine, cultivating cannabis, and possession of cannabis for supply. He has been remanded in custody.
A 34-year-old Invercargill man appeared in court on 28 January, charged with possession of ketamine and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Low acknowledged the crucial role Customs officers played in identifying and stopping the shipment before it reached the streets.
“We want to thank the highly trained Customs officers whose efforts have contributed to keeping our communities safe,” she said.