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A 47-year-old Taiwan woman was arrested at Auckland International Airport late Monday after Customs officers found about 900 grams of crystal methamphetamine hidden in two suitcases, the New Zealand Customs Service announced Tuesday.
The drugs had a street value of about 900,000 NZ dollars (753, 958 U.S. dollars), said a statement from the service.
Customs officers found the drugs when they searched the baggage of the woman, who arrived on a flight from Hong Kong.
She was arrested by Organized and Financial Crime Agency New Zealand (OFCANZ) detectives and had been charged with possession of Class A drugs for supply and importation of Class A drugs.
She had been remanded in custody to reappear in court on Friday.
Customs acting group manager for investigations and response Shane Panettiere said the discovery had stopped a significant amount of illicit drugs from getting to the streets and harming communities.
"Customs will continue to put pressure on drug importation with the aim of disrupting the supply chain and cracking down on drug syndicates," he said.
Importation of methamphetamine into New Zealand carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Customs Minister Maurice Williamson said in the statement that the arrest sent a strong message to anyone who imported drugs into New Zealand: "You will be caught and prosecuted."
