A sales representative has been arrested at Auckland International Airport, accused of importing a large quantity of methamphetamine.

According to a court document, the 19-year-old arrived in New Zealand from Vancouver, Canada, yesterday on flight NZ23.

Customs allege the defendant had 15.17kg of the controlled drug in his checked luggage.

He is facing one charge of importing the Class A controlled drug.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

He is scheduled to have his first appearance in Manukau District Court today.

The news comes just days after police and Customs announced they had unravelled “a major transnational organised crime syndicate” smuggling drugs into New Zealand through Auckland International Airport with “corrupt” baggage handlers and local gangs.

“We’ll allege in court that this syndicate has operated with corrupt baggage handlers and local gangs to import massive amounts of drugs through the Auckland Airport,” Detective Inspector Tom Gollan said last week.

“We’ve seized approximately 630kg of methamphetamine valued at approximately $220 million in retail terms, and 112kg of cocaine.”

Gollan said that had the drugs been distributed around the country, they would have caused “significant misery” to vulnerable communities.

He thanked the agencies that had worked with police, such as Homeland Security in the United States and Customs in New Zealand.