By Sarah Calams
Police1
NEW ZEALAND — Earlier this month, New Zealand police made a startling discovery in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean: more than three tons of cocaine.
New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Coster told NBC the cocaine had been dropped at a floating transit point in 81 bales by an international drug-smuggling syndicate before it was intercepted by a Navy ship. The drugs were documented and destroyed after a six-day trip back to New Zealand.
The value of the 3.5 tons of cocaine, which was destined for Australia, was about $316 million U.S. dollars. “We believe there was enough cocaine to service the Australian market for about one year and this would be more than New Zealand would use in 30 years,” Coster said.
In December, police, customs and military officials launched “Operation Hydros,” a mission to identify and monitor suspicious vessel movements. The drugs were found during the ongoing operation.
The news of the nation’s largest-ever drug seizure comes on the heels of the Feb. 24 movie release of “Cocaine Bear,” inspired by the 1985 true story of a drug runner’s plane crash, missing cocaine and the 500-pound black bear that ate it.