Wellington arrests for New Zealand’s largest seizure of Class B controlled drug GBL

GBL is commonly known as Fantasy or liquid ecstasy.

Earlier this month an estimated 1,950 litres of GBL have been seized. Four men are now before the courts on a range of significant drugs charges.

Operation Hermes, which terminated this week, was a six-month Police investigation, which included intelligence-led targeting at the border. It was led by National Organised Crime Group, with support from Customs, Wellington District staff and other specialist groups.

Customs officers were ready to inspect the commercial shipment on arrival and identified anomalies in what was declared. The examination uncovered an estimated 1,950 litres of GBL.  

Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson says the six-month, painstaking investigation was a joint effort between New Zealand Police and Customs and a real success for our communities having kept this off our streets.

“This is good news for the Wellington region. We have been able to disrupt a significant transnational criminal network operating in the area, stopping the biggest ever import of GBL from reaching the streets of our capital where it could have caused considerable harm.

“This seizure has a street value of NZ$14 million and would have provided more than a million doses into our communities,” Detective Inspector Thomson says.

Chief Customs Officer Regional Investigations Rachael Manning adds this meticulously planned joint operation and landmark border interception reflects the strength of our border protection systems and the power of law-enforcement collaboration.

“This is believed to be the largest ever seizure of drugs at New Zealand’s border. Customs intelligence enabled our targeting team to identify an import method being used by the suspects to smuggle drugs. Following the seizure, we carefully coordinated a controlled delivery to gather evidence against those responsible,” Ms Manning said.

GBL is a depressant and can make you feel nauseous, groggy, confused and cause memory lapses. It is a drug that has a real risk of overdose attached to its consumption.  

As part of the joint operation, Customs also intercepted several importations of methamphetamine, totalling more than 10 kilograms. This alone had a street value of approximately NZ$3.75 million and a social harm value of more than NZ$10 million.

Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson says search warrants were executed this week by Police and Customs investigators and specialist teams in Levin, Kapiti Mana, Porirua, Lower Hutt and Wellington, resulting in the four arrests.

The four men arrested - aged between the ages of 38 and 75 - have appeared in the Wellington District Court facing a variety of charges, including: Importation of Methamphetamine and Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), Possession for supply of GBL, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine.

They are due to reappear in Wellington District Court on 15 September and 22 September. Two have been remanded in custody.  

“Police have also seized a number of vehicles and boats as part of an asset recovery phase, as we look to utilise all available legislation as part of our approach in dismantling this syndicate,” Detective Inspector Thomson says.  

“This is an excellent day in terms of harm prevention and holding offenders to account who are committing the most serious drug offending. 

“We believe the investigation efforts of Police and Customs have combined to impact this group and cause severe disruption to the supply chain,” he says.

“There can be no doubt that Operation Hermes has contributed to keeping New Zealand safe from these illicit substances that cause misery and harm across families and the wider community.” 

Police and Customs are engaging with international partners to identify those responsible overseas and pursue related lines of enquiry.