A Kiwi teenager could be facing life imprisonment after being busted at the border with nearly $5 million worth of illicit drugs.

The 19-year-old New Zealand national was arrested yesterday at Auckland International Airport after Customs officers found an estimated 15kg of methamphetamine and cocaine in his luggage, amounting to $13 million worth of social harm.

The passenger was referred for a baggage check after arriving on a flight from Los Angeles.

An examination of the suitcase identified 15 vacuum-sealed packets – 13 of which contained methamphetamine, with an estimated weight of 13 kg.

The remaining two packets were found to contain cocaine, with an estimated weight of two kilograms.

A 19-year-old Kiwi national has been arrested at Auckland International Airport. Photo / NZ Customs

The removal of this amount of methamphetamine from the market has prevented up to $13 million worth of social harm and cost, and if sold in retail amounts, it would be worth approximately NZ$3.9 million, NZ Customs said.

“The seized cocaine has prevented up to $747,160 worth of social harm and cost, and would have had a street value of approximately $776,000.”

“Transnational criminal syndicates will prey on the young and vulnerable, but anyone caught up in this sort of crime faces the harshest penalties,” said Customs Auckland Airport manager Paul Williams.

“Organised crime groups do not care how much life you have ahead of you.

“In this instance, a teenager is looking at life imprisonment for the importation and possession for supply of Class A drugs.”

Customs officers are trained and committed to blocking any attempt to get drugs or other harmful substances across our border, and the volume of record seizures at Auckland Airport already this year is testament to that, Williams said.

This comes after drugs worth $25.81 million were seized by NZ Customs officers at Auckland Airport last month from flights arriving from New York and Malaysia.

Suspicions about drug smuggling can be reported by calling 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768) in confidence, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.