Episode Details

A massive international meth trafficking ring, Operation Van, was exposed through a covert FBI-Australian police tool called ANOM—an encrypted app that secretly recorded every message. Led by overseas commander Duax Ngakuru of the Comancheros, the operation funneled drugs from China, South America, and the Pacific Islands into New Zealand via his cousin Justin Haronga Te Kowhai, a local marae trustee who pleaded guilty to laundering millions and possessing 150kg of meth. The sting led to arrests in 2021, including former Lotto host Russell Harrison caught handing over $420k in cash at a cemetery, and Navy veteran Darren Katipa, convicted last month. With dozens convicted and some facing life, this global crackdown—part of Operation Trojan Shield—has shattered one of the world’s most sophisticated drug networks.

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