4.24 Tonnes of Cocaine Seized in Pacific Under NZ-Led Operation Kiwa

New Zealand agencies, working alongside French and United States authorities, have helped intercept 4.24 tonnes of cocaine in a landmark international operation in French Polynesia, marking the first major success of Operation Kiwa, a new Pacific-wide maritime crime disruption campaign.

The seizure, made on Monday 2 February, is one of the largest cocaine interceptions ever recorded in the Pacific region. The drugs were discovered aboard a vessel stopped by French authorities, following intelligence and operational support from the New Zealand Customs Service, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), with additional assistance from the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Operation Kiwa Delivers Early Results

Customs Minister Casey Costello said the operation demonstrates the immediate impact of the Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime (TSOC) Action Plan, launched in December.

"One of the explicit actions under the TSOC Action Plan was for New Zealand agencies to jointly target maritime drug trafficking networks operating across the Pacific," Ms Costello said."This interception is the first major success of that effort, and it sends a clear message that the Pacific is not an easy transit route for organised crime."

Operation Kiwa brings together intelligence, surveillance and enforcement capabilities across air, sea and digital domains — a level of integration not previously seen in New Zealand's Pacific operations.

Advanced Intelligence and Maritime Surveillance

The operation combined:

• Real-time intelligence sharing across multiple countries

• Enhanced maritime surveillance, including defence and satellite-enabled monitoring

• Rapid inter-agency coordination to track and intercept high-risk vessels far from New Zealand's shores

Officials say the cocaine seized — if it had reached downstream markets — could have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in criminal profit, fuelling further drug trafficking, violence and corruption across the region.

Protecting the Pacific Before Harm Reaches Shore

Ms Costello emphasised that stopping drugs offshore is critical to protecting communities, particularly in small Pacific nations with limited enforcement capacity.

"Operation Kiwa is about stopping organised crime groups and their products before they reach anyone's shores," she said."This protects New Zealand, our Pacific neighbours, and the wider regional economy from significant social and economic harm."

International Partnerships Key to Success

New Zealand authorities highlighted the importance of close collaboration with France and the United States, noting that transnational crime networks operate seamlessly across borders — requiring governments to do the same.

"Strong international partnerships are essential," Ms Costello said."This operation shows what is possible when trusted partners act quickly, share intelligence, and deploy their strengths in a coordinated way."

Officials confirmed that Operation Kiwa is ongoing, with further maritime patrols and intelligence-led disruptions expected in the coming months.