British ColumbiaNew Zealand customs says a 19-year-old Canadian has been arrested after allegedly smuggling 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in his luggage.Suspect picked up by New Zealand customs for methamphetamine after flight from Vancouver to Auckland CBC News · Posted: Dec 01, 2025 7:32 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 2 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.The New Zealand Customs Service says it seized meth that could have sold for more than $3.6 million Cdn. (New Zealand Customs Service)The New Zealand Customs Service says a 19-year-old Canadian has been arrested after allegedly smuggling 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in his luggage.In a statement, customs says officers arrested the man on Sunday after a flight from Vancouver to Auckland, New Zealand’s most populous city. His name was not immediately provided.Customs staff said the meth was hidden in clothing in the man’s suitcase.“Customs uses several tools including intelligence and passenger targeting through data and the use of sophisticated technology to identify high-risk passengers such as this individual,” said Ben Wells, acting customs manager at Auckland Airport.“Further questioning and a search by frontline officers at the airport clearly indicated that something was not right.”The man appeared in Manukau District Court Monday and was charged with one count of “the importation of a Class A Controlled drug.”Customs claims the 15 vacuum-sealed pouches of meth have a potential retail value of about $3.6 million Cdn.Kiwi authorities have busted Canadians smuggling meth into the country several times over the years — including those involved in a scheme to sneak the drug obscured in maple syrup jugs. CBC News has contacted Global Affairs Canada and the New Zealand Customs Service for further details.
Canadian arrested in New Zealand, accused of smuggling 15 kg of meth
