By Emma Jolliff
Police have confirmed Interpol is seeking a New Zealand man on behalf of Argentina police investigating a cocaine smuggling ring.
He is believed to be the son-in-law of Sorlinda Vega, who died after a cocaine-filled condom smuggled through Auckland Airport later burst inside her.
Peter Leaitua is a martial arts enthusiast who was believed to be training in Colombia, South America.
He is now on Interpol’s Most Wanted list, in connection with the international drug ring.
Police have received a “red notice” from Interpol in Buenos Aires which means he is wanted to “serious criminal offending in the issuing country”.
Leaitua, his wife and two children are reported to have arrived on the same flight as Vega.
Last month Buenos Aires police announced they had busted a ring that trafficked drugs from South America t Europe via Australia and New Zealand and seized $12 million worth of cocaine.
A friend of Leaitua’s told 3 News he met with Leaitua just this morning and that he had been talking to police, but they had let him go.
Police would not confirm that today, but they did say:
“In New Zealand we cannot arrest on the basis of a red notice. There must be a provisional arrest warrant issued by a New Zealand court, pursuant to a formal extradition request”.
An extradition request has yet to be made.
3 News