bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

The New Zealand Herald

Police in New Zealand on Wednesday arrested six people and seized millions in assets in raids following a long-running investigation by the Financial Crime Group into money laundering activity.
Four men and two women, ranging in age from 29 to 65, were charged with money laundering offences, police said.
“This group today was a professional money laundering service. Their job was to launder funds,” said Detective Superintendent Iain Chapman.
They used a semi-legitimate business that would remit funds, and a significant amount of money going overseas went to China, Chapman said.
For ethnic Chinese voters in New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern runs second
A lot of the profits laundered into the system were generated by drugs, he added.
Seven high-end luxury vehicles, a boat and three motorbikes with a combined value of more than NZ$1.2 million (nearly US$800,000) were seized.
The luxury vehicles include a NZ$450,000 Lamborghini Huracan and three new 2020 Mercedes-Benz models, police said.
Three properties in Auckland – worth at least NZ$3.3 million – were restrained and about NZ$250,000 in cash was also seized.

6 people have been arrested and properties & vehicles totalling around $5 million has been seized following an investigation into alleged money-laundering activity.https://t.co/WnobvlzI73 pic.twitter.com/VZqzMV6yQP
— New Zealand Police (@nzpolice) October 14, 2020

“These offenders typically drive luxury vehicles which they use as status symbols, and police will continue to work tirelessly to restrain any assets derived from the proceeds of illegitimate activity,” Chapman said.
Organised crime groups came in all shapes and sizes in New Zealand, Chapman said.
The detective said he was proud of the investigation team who had operated throughout Covid-19 alert levels and delivered what he called a “significant blow” to this organised crime effort.
Chinese investors seek a coronavirus haven in New Zealand
“These alleged offenders profited from laundering funds overseas that were believed to be generated from criminal offending and was illegally gained.
“These individuals are motivated by financial greed and have no concern for the criminal offending that has generated the funds they are profiting from,” he said.
“We want New Zealand to be the safest country and our part to play there is by making New Zealand the hardest place for criminals to do business,” he said. “The action today is going to send a really clear message.”
Chapman believed they had taken the group by surprise. “We were certainly out of bed before they were.”
A 40-year-old man is expected in the Auckland District Court on Thursday and the other five will appear on Tuesday.


Curbs on children’s social media use and screen time must strike a balance

7 Chinese warships followed our navy vessel on its East Asia mission, New Zealand says

Australian summer bushfires destroy homes in 2 states as firefighter killed

TikTok will block under-16s in Australia to comply with ‘upsetting’ new law

New Zealand

New Zealand police arrest six over money laundering scheme that sent funds to China

Police in New Zealand seized seven high-end luxury vehicles including a Lamborghini Huracan. Photo: Twitter

As New Zealand votes, Jacinda Ardern’s Labour government walks fine line on China ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Beijing in April last year. 2019. Photo: EPA

Jian Yang, left, a New Zealand lawmaker who was born in China, answers questions at a news conference in Auckland, New Zealand, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Yang says he's loyal to his new home after media reported he'd spent a decade at top Chinese military colleges and was investigated by New Zealand's intelligence agency. (Dean Purcell/New Zealand Herald via AP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Beijing in April last year. Photo: EPA

As New Zealand poll nears, PM Jacinda Ardern renews vow to clean up dirty rivers

New Zealand has some 425,000km of rivers. Photo: Shutterstock

wikipedia Undated photo of the Whanganui river, New Zealand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Whanganui_River.jpg

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - SEPTEMBER 22: National leader Judith Collins (R) and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (L) speak during the live leaders debate on September 22, 2020 in Auckland, New Zealand. The 2020 New Zealand General Election will be held on Saturday 17 October. It was originally due to be held on Saturday 19 September but was delayed due to the re-emergence of COVID-19 in the community. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

New Zealand in May imposed stricter rules to prevent cattle from entering waterways. Photo: AFP

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern gets Japan and China confused during official visit

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern and Japan PM Shinzo Abe hold jerseys bearing their names. Photo: Reuters

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, second from left, speaks to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, right, during a meeting at Abe's official residence in Tokyo Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. Ardern arrived Wednesday for a four-day official visit to Japan. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Pool Photo via AP)

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shakes hands with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong man and Taiwanese wife ordered by New Zealand court to surrender assets worth US$3.5 million after drug bust

Ka Kit Yim was arrested while in possession of 1kg of meth, worth US$170,000. Photo: TNS

Traveller from Hong Kong arrested at New Zealand airport after HK$7.5m crystal meth found in two neck pillows

No Caption Available.

About 1.5kg of crystal meth was found in neck pillows carried by a passenger arriving in Wellington. Photo: SCMP Pictures

News

Asia

Australasia


Auckland police seized luxury vehicles including a Lamborghini Huracan, a boat, motorbikes and thousands in cash
The suspects used semi-legitimate businesses to launder profits generated by drugs, with a ‘significant’ amount of money going overseas



Auckland police seized luxury vehicles including a Lamborghini, saying the suspects used semi-legitimate businesses to launder drug profits.


Crime

Crime in China

Chinese overseas