Police are laying nearly 200 criminal charges against gang associates, who are allegedly facilitators in a criminal syndicate smuggling illicit drugs aboard international flights.
This week's enforcement activity is the latest phase in a joint Police-Customs investigation, which has targeted a syndicate allegedly smuggling class A drugs through unattended baggage, primarily through Auckland Airport.
It comes as part of a significant operation to protect New Zealand's borders from the threats posed by transnational, serious and organised crime.
Twenty search warrants were carried out across the Auckland region yesterday by the National Organised Crime Group and Customs, with eight associates from the Brotherhood 28 MC arrested.
Amongst those arrested was the gang's president.
Those arrested will face 170 charges between them including:
-Participating in an organised criminal group
-Importing class A controlled drugs (methamphetamine and cocaine)
-Conspiracy to import
-Possession for supply
-Supplying methamphetamine
-Supplying cocaine
-Offer to supply cocaine
-Money laundering
During yesterday's warrants Police have also seized NZ$50,000 in cash, multiple rounds of ammunition, jewellery and electronic devices.
This is the fifth phase of Operation Matata, targeting people employed by airline baggage handling agencies, and other associates from the criminal syndicate working within the air border.
Detective Inspector Tom Gollan says 43 people have been arrested since the investigation began in February 2025.
Twenty consignments of methamphetamine and cocaine have been seized, weighing 630 kilograms and 112 kilograms respectively.
"Since Operation Selena in 2021, Police and Customs have worked with Auckland Airport to disrupt the flow of drugs being imported through the air border, facilitated by the corruption of baggage handlers," Detective Inspector Tom Gollan says.
"This operation has routed out the organisers, facilitators and baggage handlers involved in this illegal operation.
"Police and Customs investigators have exposed their networks, while establishing how they are evading systems and controls."
Both agencies are working closely with Auckland International Airport and other supply chain partners at the border to alert staff to the dangers of transnational, serious and organised crime.
Detective Inspector Gollan says, "alarm bells should be going off when they are offered cash payments in exchange for them committing serious offending".
"Twenty of those arrested in Operation Matata were baggage handlers. None of those arrested in this week's search warrants were baggage handlers, instead they were facilitators and controllers sitting over the top of the syndicate."
Support from a variety of international law enforcement agencies and companies has assisted in the success in Operation Matata, while in turn has led to enforcement activity in offshore countries.
Customs Investigations Manager Dominic Adams says the operation sends a strong message that attempts to exploit positions of privilege will be targeted and stopped.
"Customs, Police and industry partners are working across our air and maritime borders to combat these criminal groups intent on smuggling illicit drugs into New Zealand."
"New Zealand's high volume of legitimate trade and travel creates opportunities for criminal infiltration.
"This is not a new method used by transnational syndicates - it has been an issue around the world for several years - we are not immune to it. We are countering this through partnerships, intelligence, and increased frontline presence.
"Every day, our teams work nationally and internationally to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen New Zealand's border. These arrests reflect coordinated action across multiple agencies and the power of collaboration to safeguard our communities.
"Those arrested have abused positions of trust to smuggle harmful drugs into our communities. Customs and Police will not tolerate this and will continue to pursue anyone who compromises the safety of our country and people."
Auckland Airport's Head of Terminal Operations Richard Deihl says: "These latest arrests demonstrate the strong and effective collaboration between Police, Customs and the airport community to disrupt the global drugs trade and prevent harmful substances from reaching our community.
"Everyone in the airport system, from airlines to ground handlers and the airport company itself, is united in our commitment to stamp out drug trafficking at the border."
- Operation Matata - by the numbers:
5 - phases of the investigation
43 - arrests made
347 - charges laid
72 - warrants executed
630 - kilograms of methamphetamine seized
NZ$220.8m - retail value of methamphetamine seized
NZ$699.3m - estimated social harm figure
112 - kilograms of cocaine seized
NZ$50.4 - retail value of cocaine seized
NZ$33.6m - estimated social harm figure
NZ$800,000 - cash seized
