Two men have been arrested and charged with attempting to smuggle 24kg of opium into the country, with a third man charged with possessing prescription medication.
Police were alerted after parcels containing the Class B controlled drug were stopped by Customs at the border between June 1 and July 19, Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Varnam said.
The packages, sent from the United Kingdom and India, were intercepted in Auckland but were destined for Western Bay of Plenty.
Three men were arrested last week after police carried out search warrants at 11 addresses in Tauranga, Papamoa, Ōmokoroa and Te Puke.
Varnam said police also seized "a significant amount of opium, steroids, cash and electronic devices".
Two men, aged 31 and 36, have been charged with importing opium, one also facing a representative charge of importing 48kg of the drug over the past 12 months.
A 38-year-old man has been charged with possession of prescription medication.
The trio are due to appear in Tauranga District Court over the coming weeks.
It follows the arrest of a man in April after police carrying out a search at a Tauranga address found 24kg of opium. The 38-year-old is currently before the court.
Opium is highly addictive and can contain toxic chemicals which are seriously harmful to the body, affecting the brain, gut, liver, lungs, kidneys, skin, eyes and immune system.
"The importation and supply of opium is a concern for us, and we will continue to target the people behind it. Police are continuing to work with the impacted community," Varnam said.
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