Multiple cars, a motorbike and more than $100,000 in cash have been seized from drug smuggler Sami Zagros after an order from the Christchurch High Court.
Zagros had been sentenced to 16 years in prison last year.
"His charges included one of money laundering, eight charges of importation of methamphetamine, three charges of attempted importation of methamphetamine and one charge of possession of MDMA for supply," said Det Sgt Brendan Patten, from the Southern asset recovery unit.
His charges and the guilty pleas followed a joint investigation by Customs and police into a drug smuggling ring in which Zagros and two others were involved in.
Patten said the following items belonging to Zagros have since been seized:
- 2015 Mercedes-Benz A250
- 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300
- 2013 Ducati Motorbike
- Nearly $180,000 in cash
- Just under $125,000 from a bank account
- Five pieces of jewellery valued at nearly $36,000.
Police said the items seized have a value of $380,000.
"The money and sale of these items will be put into the proceeds of crime fund from which agencies can make applications to fund crime prevention as well as drug and alcohol rehabilitation initiatives," Patten said.
