New Zealand police find record cocaine haul in horse's head

The $10 million discovery came in May when the 400 kg air freight package was delivered to an address in Auckland

New Zealand Customs and Police have seized 35 kg (77lbs) of cocaine stuffed inside a large diamante-encrusted horse's head that was mailed from Mexico.

The $10 million discovery, the largest cocaine seizure made in New Zealand, came in May when the 400 kg air freight package was delivered to an address in Auckland where police were carrying out surveillance.



"There is a significant organised crime group offshore that will be responsible for this and who have now lost a whole lot of money," Detective Superintendent Virginia Le Bas told TVNZ.

The drugs, packaged into 35 bricks, were pushed up inside a cavity in the horse's neck before being mounted on its stand.



An undated handout image from the New Zealand police shows 35 bricks of cocaine that were discovered inside a diamante-encrusted horse head that had been brought into the country from Mexico, in Auckland, New Zealand. PHOTO: REUTERS

A 44-year-old Mexican man and 56-year-old American man were arrested in relation to the smuggling attempt as they tried to board a flight to Hawaii on Friday, police said.

A third man, from Mexico, was arrested following searches at an apartment block in Christchurch on Saturday.



Importing cocaine in New Zealand can carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

It is the second major drug haul by New Zealand authorities in less than four weeks after 494 kg (1,100 lb) of methamphetamines were found of the north coast last month.