14 Dec 2016

Name suppression lapses in horse head cocaine case

10:28 am on 14 December 2016

The three men accused of being behind New Zealand's biggest cocaine haul can now be named.

The cocaine was found inside the head of the ornamental horse.

The men are accused of importing cocaine inside a horse statue's head. Photo: RNZ / Mani Dunlop

Ronald Cook Senior, Gonzalo Rivera-Pavon and Augustin Suarez-Juarez appeared at the High Court in Auckland today where name suppression lapsed.

The three are accused of importing 35kg of the class A drug, hidden in a diamante encrusted statue of a horse's head, imported from Mexico.

The cocaine has an estimated street value of $14 million.

The men have denied the charges and are due to face a trial in May next year.