Story: Drugs

Methamphetamine smuggling

Methamphetamine smuggling

This X-ray shows 40 pellets of crystal methamphetamine that were detected inside a South African woman arriving at Auckland International Airport in April 2011. Over the previous eight months seven people had been caught carrying drugs that they had swallowed. This included cocaine and opium as well as methamphetamine. The quantity of 'P' in the 40 pellets was 570 grams, which would have a street value of between $300,000 and $600,000. Swallowing drugs carries considerable risks and at least one drug swallower has died. The increase in imports of methamphetamine was partly a result of increasing action against 'P' labs within New Zealand and the removal of pseudoephedrine, the raw material for 'P', from cold remedies.

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New Zealand Customs Service

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How to cite this page:

Jock Phillips, 'Drugs - Legal and social response to drugs', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/39580/methamphetamine-smuggling (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Jock Phillips, published 5 Sep 2013