Drugs, guns, knives going through the post

Sending drugs and weapons through the post might appeal to some criminals, but they won't necessarily reach their target.

In the past 17 months, 75 items have been caught by New Zealand Post and opened as suspicious.

Most of those items - including drugs, guns and a knife - were reported to police, detained or destroyed.

There were 43 interceptions of cannabis. Ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamine, ritalin, valium and some unidentified pills and powders were also seized - as was some icing sugar that was mistaken for drugs.

Nine weapons were also intercepted.

The packages were revealed to The Dominion Post under the Official Information Act.

New Zealand Post spokeswoman Jaimee Burke said the postal service was responsible for scanning and identifying mail items transported domestically, and Customs dealt with international mail.

"New Zealand Post takes security very seriously and assists Customs and the police in their investigations. Any suspected illegal items found in the post are passed to the police."

Seized weapons included two shotguns, a .22-calibre rifle, a knife, two airguns, a replica antique pistol and an antique air rifle.

Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch said illegal items found in the mail by New Zealand Post had led to investigations and arrests.

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Drugs, guns, knives going through the post