Over the past two years, more than one tonne of meth seized in New Zealand’s two largest busts originated in Canada, concealed in shipments of maple syrup and beer, yet no charges have been laid in Canada for exporting the drugs. Moreover, in January 2023 alone, New Zealand authorities intercepted 713 kg of meth hidden in Canadian maple syrup shipments, marking the country’s largest-ever border seizure. The operation led to six arrests in New Zealand, with the drugs valued at over NZ$250 million (approximately CAD$200 million).
Moreover, in March 2023, the death of 21-year-old Aiden Sagala in Auckland triggered a major drug investigation after he unknowingly consumed liquid meth hidden in beer cans shipped from Canada. The cans, falsely labelled as a beer brand, were distributed by Sagala’s employer, who was involved in the drug operation. As a result, Sagala accidentally received a case that still contained methamphetamine and drank from one of the contaminated cans.
Following Sagala’s death, New Zealand police raided a warehouse where nearly 29,000 cans of beer from Toronto, along with kombucha and coconut water imports used to conceal methamphetamines, were stored, finding the facility heavily contaminated with the drug. Subsequently, Project Lavender led to New Zealand’s largest meth seizure of 747 kg, resulting in 21- and 22-year sentences for two men including a manslaughter conviction, and later the seizure of NZ$36 million in property linked to the drug operation.
In his interview with CTV News, RCMP Chief Superintendent and Director General of the National Serious and Organized Crime Program, Mathieu Bertrand, said the RCMP was not involved in investigating meth shipments sent from Canada to New Zealand, stating the case fell to another agency. “There’s many factors that are considered when determining which agency is best suited to take on a specific investigation. So, in these cases, that would not have been the RCMP, and therefore there’s a partner better positioned to be able to respond,” he said.
However, the RCMP later confirmed it had assisted New Zealand police through intelligence sharing, background checks, and international coordination. Despite this involvement, the RCMP laid no charges in Canada and declined to provide further details, directing additional questions to New Zealand authorities. “The RCMP assisted with information-sharing and international coordination. The team assisted with background checks, a cursory analysis of the network, engaged with New Zealand Police (NZP) intelligence unit, engaged with the CBSA Targeting Liaison Officer, and liaised with the international desk,” reads the RCMP statement communicated to CTV News.
Court and corporate records linked the contaminated beer shipment to Petrichor Beverages Inc., a short-lived Canadian company directed by Azizdeep Singh Sandhu, who denied involvement when contacted by the press. Moreover, Sandhu confirmed previously living at the listed Surrey address, said he is a truck driver, and stated the RCMP had never contacted him, before later blocking reporters and limiting his social media access. Despite evidence pointing to Canadian origins of the shipment, no charges have been laid in Canada, leaving Sagala’s family questioning the lack of accountability.
