Kiwi woman accused of smuggling $5.5m of meth in checked luggage at Auckland Airport on arrival from Singapore

[metanoia]

Lane Nichols,
Publish DateTue, 6 Jan 2026, 1:44pm

Customs officers allege they found 18kg of methamphetamine stuffed in the woman's checked luggage when she arrived in NZ from Singapore. Photo / Customs

​

Kiwi woman accused of smuggling $5.5m of meth in checked luggage at Auckland Airport​

www.newstalkzb.co.nz

A woman charged with drug smuggling was allegedly caught with enough methamphetamine stuffed in her checked luggage to supply nearly a million doses of the Class A narcotic.

The unemployed 33-year-old was detained on Sunday at Auckland International Airport after arriving on a flight from Singapore.

She was referred to Customs for further questioning.

During a search of her baggage, Customs officers allegedly found 18 individually vacuum-sealed packages containing a white crystalline substance. Testing confirmed the substance was methamphetamine.

The initial consignment weighed an estimated 22kg, included packaging. Following extraction, the weight of the seized methamphetamine was an estimated 18.45kg.

Customs said the narcotics found in the woman’s bag could produce up to 922,500 doses, with a potential street value of $5.53 million.

The woman appeared in Manukau District Court yesterday on one count of drug importation and has been remanded until April for a case review hearing.

If convicted, she could be jailed for life.

Customs Auckland Airport manager Paul Williams had a warning for all travellers.

“If you try to smuggle drugs into New Zealand, you might not just land here – you could land in prison.”

Williams said the Christmas and New Year period was one of Customs’ busiest times, with officers working tirelessly at the border to ensure a smooth travel experience for visitors and those returning home.

“Our message to anyone considering carrying prohibited items is clear: regardless of whether you know what’s in your bag, if it contains illegal drugs, you will face arrest.

Customs officers allege they found 18kg of methamphetamine stuffed in the woman's checked luggage when she arrived in NZ from Singapore. Photo / Customs

“Customs remains committed to reducing the harm caused by illicit drugs in our communities. No financial gain is worth the serious consequences, which can include life imprisonment.”

Court documents show the woman landed in New Zealand on flight SQ285 from Singapore.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the woman, who is listed as having no fixed abode, could face life imprisonment if convicted.

Anyone with suspicions about possible smuggling should contact Customs confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

 

[True Believer]

This unemployed woman probably thought she would be set for life if she successfully got past immigration/customs.

 

[A Singaporean]

Trump should kidnap Lowlan Wong for permitting drug trafficking.

 

[Kotekbengkok]

Lane Nichols,
Publish DateTue, 6 Jan 2026, 1:44pm

Customs officers allege they found 18kg of methamphetamine stuffed in the woman's checked luggage when she arrived in NZ from Singapore. Photo / Customs

​

Kiwi woman accused of smuggling $5.5m of meth in checked luggage at Auckland Airport​

www.newstalkzb.co.nz

A woman charged with drug smuggling was allegedly caught with enough methamphetamine stuffed in her checked luggage to supply nearly a million doses of the Class A narcotic.

The unemployed 33-year-old was detained on Sunday at Auckland International Airport after arriving on a flight from Singapore.

She was referred to Customs for further questioning.

During a search of her baggage, Customs officers allegedly found 18 individually vacuum-sealed packages containing a white crystalline substance. Testing confirmed the substance was methamphetamine.

The initial consignment weighed an estimated 22kg, included packaging. Following extraction, the weight of the seized methamphetamine was an estimated 18.45kg.

Customs said the narcotics found in the woman’s bag could produce up to 922,500 doses, with a potential street value of $5.53 million.

The woman appeared in Manukau District Court yesterday on one count of drug importation and has been remanded until April for a case review hearing.

If convicted, she could be jailed for life.

Customs Auckland Airport manager Paul Williams had a warning for all travellers.

“If you try to smuggle drugs into New Zealand, you might not just land here – you could land in prison.”

Williams said the Christmas and New Year period was one of Customs’ busiest times, with officers working tirelessly at the border to ensure a smooth travel experience for visitors and those returning home.

“Our message to anyone considering carrying prohibited items is clear: regardless of whether you know what’s in your bag, if it contains illegal drugs, you will face arrest.

​

Customs officers allege they found 18kg of methamphetamine stuffed in the woman's checked luggage when she arrived in NZ from Singapore. Photo / Customs

“Customs remains committed to reducing the harm caused by illicit drugs in our communities. No financial gain is worth the serious consequences, which can include life imprisonment.”

Court documents show the woman landed in New Zealand on flight SQ285 from Singapore.

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the woman, who is listed as having no fixed abode, could face life imprisonment if convicted.

Anyone with suspicions about possible smuggling should contact Customs confidentially on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Guess the race. Clue. Cannot be ang moh.

 

[Rogue Trader]

For sure NZ was tipped off by sinkapore customs and let them catch.

Sinkapore cannot afford to hang another foreigner especially angmor. More headache for Vivian Bala and Shanmugam

 

[Willamshakespear]

Fighting crime is to understand HOW an ORGANIZED criminal org works.

1. She is NOT alone, but only part of a drug smuggling network. She is just a drug mule, a carrier and a member either by affiliation or affection to earn a few bucks. She does not OWN those million dollar worth of harmful drugs. She would be lucky if she gets paid $20,000 just to carry that bag.

2. A CRITICAL QUESTION BEGS TO BE ANSWERED - HOW DID AN OBVIOUS BAG FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH HARMFUL DRUGS MANAGED TO GET THRU SINGAPORE CUSTOMS - which is one of the TOUGHEST regime on dealing with harmful drugs?

Answers:-
i) Each luggage bag is registered to the owner during flight check in, with serial numbers to identify owner.

ii) It passes thru a conveyor belt, to the BAGGAGE HANDLERS, whom will pass it on to another automotive conveyor belt to be x-ray screened, even if the bag is heavily locked.

iii) After it is screened, although even on the conveyor belt, security officials and baggage handlers will then either REMOVE the bag if it is found suspicious, or place it onto another automotive conveyor belt to be delivered to another section to place it upon trucks to sent to the aircraft to be stored onboard.


Therefore, for a baggage filled to the brim with harmful drugs, it is NOT possible that it cannot be discovered.....UNLESS SOMEONE had been bribed, or a member of the criminal org, to REMOVED THAT BAG TO AVOID SCREENING.,,,

Thus, who are the SUSPECTS in this literal case?

Such are the clues, and another set of clues is to find out WHICH of the baggage handlers and security officers at the SCREENING checkpoints whom were at the timeline when that bag was supposed to be screened THRU the registered baggage owner's and baggage serial number time scale, and the crook will be found.

It is only a matter of numbers and AI assistance which can crunch the numbers within seconds. As well as who had taken MC once this case was blown, with hopes to flee before being arrested,.....haul them in for cup of coffee with CNB directors to find out the KINGPIN, or it may be as Mr. Rogue Trader had written, it was allowed to go thru and information sent to the New Zealand Authorities to handle.....

 

[sbfuncle]

There should be tonnes (not in kgs) of drugs in sg
Cnb can boast about their ops etc but it clearly indicated they are either useless or worst, they could be part of the dealer.

 

[sbfuncle]

There should be tonnes (not in kgs) of drugs in sg
Cnb can boast about their ops etc but it clearly indicated they are either useless or worst, they could be part of the dealer.

Custom can also boast about their role in protecting the borders.
But kgs and tonnes of drugs in sg also means they had allowed in those drugs in order for it to be Lee distributed overseas.
So it means they are either useless or part of the dealer.
And if you ask a kum gong sinkies like gansiokbin, constantly praising ica and custom, they will use the goal keepers analogy I.e can save goals is applaud. Cannot save is expected.

The thing is having tonnes of drugs in sg is akin to not saving any goals.

 

[Willamshakespear]

In REALITY, there are TONNES of HARMFUL drugs being smuggled WORLDWIDE, not just in Singapore.

Ultimately, the right of privacy is respected in Democracies such as in Singapore.

70% of planet Earth's surface is covered with sea water. Just a few bags of harmful drugs sealed in water proof bags towed by innocuous fishing boats would avoid scrutiny by security officials.

And there are MILLIONS of such fishing /recreational/luxury boats/small ships throughout our World....

Think of the SCALE that Humanity has to deal with such rats....let alone the many more porous land borders between Nations.....

Never, ever underestimate the criminal mind. To catch criminals whom made use of Human Rights while ABUSING it, authorities would have to be SMARTER than them, with a few innovative steps ahead, such x-ray machines, co-opt upright citizens to help with info, etc, etc.

There had LONG been criticisms about catching drug mules while the drug lords such as Maduro roams freely. Enough is enough. Humankind WANTS the end of the drug lords and their lieutenants with evidences, to end the suffering of innocent Humankind - young and old ADDICTED to the harmful effects of psychoactive drugs..

In the end, it WILL BE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, between security agencies and World leaders, in order that such aims be successful, to save lives.....let a small fish go or locked up in a jail cell to spill the beans, in order to catch the big fish....There is more than meet the eyes within the general public.....

 

[nabeifuckpap]

Trump should kidnap Lowlan Wong for permitting drug trafficking.

Tons of China money launderers operating with impunity in Shitgapore, enough reason for Trump to kidnap Laolan Wong and anyone he deems fit