Honey Bear meth bust in south Auckland biggest in NZ history, police confirm

Police have confirmed that the meth bust earlier this year was the biggest in New Zealand's history.
Police have confirmed that the meth bust earlier this year was the biggest in New Zealand's history. Photo credit: NZPolice

By RNZ

Police have confirmed that nearly a quarter of a tonne of methamphetamine that was seized earlier this year was the biggest meth bust in New Zealand's history.

A provisional total of 747 kilograms was seized during a raid in south Auckland back in March as a part of Operation Lavender.

The seizure followed an investigation into methamphetamine laced Honey Bear House Beers, which killed Aiden Sagala earlier this year.

Sagala died in Auckland Hospital in March after drinking from a beer can that he did not know contained high purity liquid methamphetamine.

Two men have since been charged in relation to a methamphetamine import concealed in a large shipment of Honey Bear House Beer.

Aiden Sagala died earlier this year after consuming a can of the beer laced with the drug.
Aiden Sagala died earlier this year after consuming a can of the beer laced with the drug. Photo credit: NZPolice/Newshub

High purity liquid methamphetamine was contained in some Honey Bear House Beer cans. Photo: Supplied / NZ police

The search warrant executed in March on Ryan Place in Manukau uncovered a significant quantity of the drug.

Police said the 747kg included both crystallised methamphetamine and methamphetamine extracted from the cans found during the raid.

It is the second time this year that police have made a record breaking methamphetamine bust.

Earlier this year, New Zealand Police and Customs intercepted 713kg of methamphetamine at the border hidden in a shipment of maple syrup from Canada.

The shipment which was bound for the Australasian market was intercepted as part of Operation Regis in January.

Six arrests were made as a result of the operation.

RNZ