The 27-year-old man arrived on a flight from Vancouver on Monday. After questioning and a baggage search, Customs officers found meth concealed in several travel cube bags in his luggage.
The drugs would have been worth up to $3.5 million in street value.
Chief customs officer Ben Wells said this arrest and seizure was a great success for both Customs' frontline officers, as well as intelligence and targeting experts who worked behind the scenes to identify potential drug couriers before they even got to New Zealand.
"Customs screens 100 percent of all arriving passengers using data and technology to identify individuals who may pose a high risk," he said.
"This seizure has prevented significant harm to our communities by stopping methamphetamine from hitting our streets. This is estimated to have prevented up to $11 million worth of social harm and cost to New Zealand communities."
The defendant was charged with importation and possession for supply of a Class A controlled drug, as well as failure to provide passcode to access information on electronic devices.
He was scheduled to appear in the Manukau District Court today.
