DRUG SMUGGLED IN LAVA LAMPS

One of New Zealand's biggest illegal drug hauls - worth $9 million -
has been found concealed in lava lamps imported from China.

Nine kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, known as P, was found in 30
lava lamps in Auckland. The lamps were couriered from China in early
July, Customs Service drug investigations manager Simon Williamson
said.

Customs officers, whose suspicions were raised by the packaging of the
lamps, searched four cartons. The drug was in liquid suspension form
within the lamps' brightly coloured ethanol filling. Highly flammable,
the ethanol would have to be boiled off to extract the drug.

"It's a very sophisticated method of importation," Mr Williamson
said.

ESR tests confirmed the liquid in the lamps contained pure
methamphetamine of high quality.

Operation Lava, a joint police and customs operation, monitored
delivery of the packages to the Auckland house.

A fifth, identical carton, which had slipped past customs, was found
at the house and the lamps it contained also held drugs.

That led to the arrest of a 23-year-old Chinese student, who was charged
with importing a Class A controlled drug, and possession for supply of a
Class A controlled drug. He is in custody till his next court appearance.

Detective Sergeant John Sowter said inquiries were continuing in New
Zealand and overseas. Two or three more arrests were expected.

The biggest drugs haul by customs officers was in 1988, when 20kg of
cocaine with a street value of $20 million was seized.