The Government is stepping up its fight against organised crime, establishing a new high-level board to coordinate the response to international criminal networks, drug trafficking, money laundering and migrant exploitation.
Associate Police Minister Casey Costello has announced that the Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime Chief Executive Board has held its first meeting, bringing together senior leaders from Police, Customs and other government agencies.
The board will be jointly chaired by Police Commissioner Richard Chambers and Customs Comptroller Christine Stevenson, with senior representatives from Inland Revenue, Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Costello says New Zealand is increasingly being targeted by sophisticated criminal organisations involved in methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking, illegal cannabis operations, international scams and money laundering. The Government argues these activities are causing significant harm to communities while allowing criminal networks to move large amounts of money through the economy.
The scale of the challenge is reflected in Customs figures showing 900 kilograms of methamphetamine and 179 kilograms of cocaine seized at the border between January and July 2026. By comparison, Customs seized 416 kilograms of methamphetamine and 35 kilograms of cocaine during the whole of 2016.
Authorities also intercepted 17 tonnes of cocaine across the Pacific during the first five months of this year, highlighting the growing reach of international drug trafficking networks.
Meanwhile, the Police National Organised Crime Group completed 11 investigations during the last financial year, charging 216 offenders and shutting down 99 clandestine drug laboratories.
A major focus of the new board will be improving cooperation between government agencies, particularly the sharing of intelligence and information. Costello has acknowledged that existing laws and agency arrangements can prevent Police and Customs from routinely sharing certain information about suspected criminal networks.
The board will oversee the Government’s organised crime strategy and action plan, identify opportunities for legislative reform, strengthen investigative cooperation and examine ways to disrupt the financial operations that make organised crime profitable.
The initiative follows recommendations from the Government’s Ministerial Advisory Group on transnational, serious and organised crime, which identified the need for stronger coordination and accountability across agencies.
While the new board will not replace frontline policing or investigations, the Government says it will provide greater oversight and a more coordinated approach to targeting criminal organisations operating in Aotearoa and across international borders.
The announcement also raises broader questions about how intelligence sharing, law enforcement resources and community harm prevention can work together to reduce the influence of organised crime.
