A Brazilian woman who attempted to smuggle nearly a kilogram of cocaine into New Zealand has been jailed.
Pamela Nascimento, 23, was sentenced to six years and three months in prison on Tuesday after she was found to be carrying 923 grams of cocaine in September.
The drugs have an estimated street value of between $138,500 and $175,500, Customs says.
In September, Customs officials stopped and questioned Nascimento on arrival at Auckland airport from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Officers became suspicious of Nascimento after searching her bags and decided to search her body.
After initially claiming she was not carrying any prohibited items, Nascimento admitted she had illegal drugs hidden in her clothing.
She also admitted to swallowing around 40 pellets that contained illegal drugs.
