A JOINT operation between New Zealand authorities has resulted in arrests and the seizure of over half a tonne of methamphetamine.

The illicit consignment, one of the largest ever meth imports into New Zealand, was discovered by the New Zealand Customs Service inside a consignment of hefty steel beams that were sent from the United States.

A total of 515 kilograms of methamphetamine was discovered inside the consignment of 42 steel beams, when NZ Customs’ Sea Cargo officers x-rayed selected items and conducted additional examinations which led to the discovery.

A joint operation between NZ Customs and New Zealand Police saw two men, New Zealand passport holders but residents of Australia, arrested on a rural Waikato property on 4 October, while in the process of deconstructing the beams.

Authorities said under Operation Girder, the police have worked alongside customs to identify the group responsible, with warrants being executed across Auckland and the north island Waikato region over recent days.

A total of five men, aged between 31 and 51, have been arrested, with all initially appeared in the Auckland District Court on 4 October, facing charges relating to the importation and supply of methamphetamine.

Authorities say one of the men has been charged with unlawful possession of firearms after a military-style semi-automatic rifle and ammunition were recovered.

Detective inspector Colin Parmenter of New Zealand’s National Organised Crime Group says the seizure is a significant disruption to the wider drug market operating within New Zealand.

“The significant amount seized in this operation is another demonstration of the Police and Customs partnership and commitment to the disruption and dismantling of transnational organised drug networks,” Mr Parmenter said.

“It’s estimated that this shipment would have gone on to produce 25.7 million individual doses of this destructive drug, and preventing this harm is a key motivation for our staff.

Customs says the operation shows New Zealand’s law enforcement continues to successfully combat transnational organised crime.

“This joint operation has yielded intelligence that will lead to further enforcement opportunities for Customs and Police and has prevented more than NZ$570 million in harm to New Zealand communities and our economy,” Customs’ group manager intelligence Terry Brown said.

The authorities say investigations will continue and further arrests cannot be ruled out.