New Zealand鈥檚 border agency says a woman is in custody after arriving on a flight from Vancouver with more than 10 kilograms of methamphetamine wrapped as Christmas presents.

The New Zealand Customs Service says in a news release that the woman arrived in Auckland on Sunday, where she was questioned by officers.

It says they conducted a bag search and found the 10.2 kg of drugs, which the release shows as five parcels in red wrapping paper decorated with snowflakes.

It says customs officials estimate the drugs have a street value of up to NZ$3.8 million, which is about C$3.1 million.

They say the woman has appeared in Manukau District Court and faces charges of importation and possession for supply of a 鈥淐lass A鈥� controlled drug.

The border agency calls it a 鈥渃lassic attempt鈥� by organized transnational criminals to 鈥渆xploit the busy travel season.鈥�

鈥淭hese criminal groups make the mistake of thinking Customs won鈥檛 chase smaller targets, but we know that drugs sent from North America are an increasing risk and we are prepared,鈥� the release says.

鈥淲e also have an excellent working relationship with our Canadian partners and collaborate with them closely to, in some cases, stop the drug couriers even before they board a flight here.鈥�