Heroin, morphine and ecstasy pills are just some of the
illegal substances intercepted by the New Zealand Customs
Service in the South last year.
Figures released to the Otago Daily Times under the
Official Information Act detail drug interceptions nationally
and in Otago and Southland for the year ending November 30,
2012.
Southern interceptions included an incident where 1.2g of
heroin was detected at Queenstown Airport last year.
Customs officers at Dunedin International Airport also seized
142g of the stimulant drug ephedrine, which has a similar
chemical structure and similar biological effects to
amphetamines.
There was also one incident where 85 cannabis seeds were
recovered from a passenger at Dunedin.
Of the 18 interceptions, a dozen were for controlled
medicines and prescription medicines.
When a person arrives in New Zealand they were required to
declare the possessions of any prescription medicine, have a
copy of their doctor's prescription and carry the medicine in
its original container.
If the criteria are not met, Customs can detain the medicines
and record them as a prohibited drug interception.
A Customs spokeswoman said goods found at the border that
were categorised as pseudoephedrine products - those which
could be used to produce methamphetamine - accounted for the
largest quantity of interceptions, with 426kg and one litre
recovered by officials.
Also intercepted at the country's border were 25,000 tablets
of ephedrine, 200ml of opium, 5.6kg of methamphetamine, and
75ml of the aphrodisiac Spanish Fly.
hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz
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