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| | | Five-month operation lands 11 in Court | | | A five-month operation has culminated in 11 arrests and the recovery of an illicit stash of firearms and drugs, along with nearly NZ$1 million in cash in Auckland this week.
Operation Mexted, a joint investigation run by the National Organised Crime Group (NOCG) and New Zealand Customs, has been targeting a transnational organised criminal cell involved in the smuggling of controlled drugs into New Zealand.
It's the 29th such cell shut down in New Zealand since 2016. | | | | | | | | | | 
| | | International cooperation disrupts global drug trafficking syndicate arrests | | | Customs and New Zealand Police joined a partnership of international agencies to disrupt a transnational drug trafficking syndicate suspected of coordinating illegal drug shipments globally.
Using the intelligence provided by the Central Narcotics Bureau of Singapore, New Zealand Customs was able to intercept two drug-laden parcels in April 2025 and June 2025, seizing a total of 10 kilograms of methamphetamine. This is an estimated 500,000 doses and would have had a street value in New Zealand of approximately NZ$3 million.
Additional intelligence sharing with the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force about the syndicate led to the Australian authorities intercepting and seizing multiple consignments in May 2025 containing a total of about 40 kilograms of methamphetamine. | | | | | | | | | | 
| | | Legislation passed to support modern and effective cost recovery by Customs | | | The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2025 has now been enacted. It enables levies to be made as an alternative to fees when Customs recovers costs related to its goods management functions, including those costs related to commercial vessels. | | | | | | | | | | 
| | | New GST refund processes in place | | | Changes to the Goods and Services Tax Act 1985 (the GST Act) were made by the Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2025. Those changes came into force on 24 September 2025.
The GST Act changes have immediate effect. The changes make it fairer for importers who have to return either faulty goods, or those goods not to specification, to overseas suppliers. In some cases, people re-exporting the goods could not previously get back the GST they paid on import (despite all the other duty paid being refunded). | | | | | | | | | | 
| | | MFAT Market Intelligence Reports | | | The latest edition of the weekly global trade and economic update for New Zealand businesses has been published. | | | | | | | | |