Glen Dobson: Drug Detection Agency CEO on the exponential increase in seized drugs at the border

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge · Apr 8, 2026 · 3m · transcript

Drug traffickers have their eyes on New Zealand as Customs deals with a massive influx in border seizures.

A Cabinet paper shows the volume of intercepted drugs more than quadrupled between 2018 and 2024, going from 1.5 to 6.5 tonnes.

Drug Detection Agency Chief Executive Glen Dobson told Ryan Bridge officials are stepping up.

He says we're being actively targeted by organised crime groups, and recommends greater cross-agency consultation.

But Dobson says greater seizures are also a success.

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