Fifty tonnes of methamphetamine valued at over NZ$7.5 billion has been dug up in Mexico - making the discovery one of the biggest seizures in the country's history.
On Thursday (local time) the country's marines raided an underground drug lab roughly 30 kilometres from the Mexican state of Sinaloa's capital Culiacan, reports Mexico News Daily.
- 'Social carnage': P, LSD, firearms seized in Nelson drug sting
- Nun caught in 1kg high-heel cocaine bust, blames mystery lover
- Largest meth bust in NZ history
After searching the lab, drums of meth were found in both a liquid and solid form, with the drugs and other chemicals later destroyed on site.
In images released by the country's Navy, marines dressed in hazmat suits can be seen examining the containers holding the drugs.
The $7.5 billion meth seizure dwarfs New Zealand's largest ever bust in 2016, which was worth $448 million.
The Navy's Secretariat said the seizure, which is one of the biggest in Mexican history, would weaken local crime syndicates.
The area is reportedly controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel, with local newspaper El Diario stating the drugs likely belonged to the cartel's suspected leader Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada.
The cartel's former leader, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, is currently preparing to face trial in the United States.
The marines were alerted to the lab by intelligence reports and were supported in their raid by both land and air units.
Newshub.
