SkyCity Auckland continues to tarnish its own reputation as the casino operator was recently implicated in a multi-million dollar drug scandal. According to The Greens, this should come as ‘no surprise’, as the casino’s practices allegedly make it easy for crime to take place on the premises. This week, The Herald reported that SkyCity has found itself in the middle of a $120 million drug bust.
As the biggest drug bust to ever occur in New Zealand, 330kg of ContactNT was seized. ContactNT is a key ingredient in methamphetamine, and the amount sized could have produced up to 100kg of the drug. It total value was upwards of $100 million. SkyCity’s name has been involved in the scandal, as members of the drug ring are allegedly connected to the casino.
According to reports, they spend millions of dollars in the VIP room at SkyCity Auckland, and it is believed that their gambling is simply a front for money laundering. "It is the latest in a growing body of evidence that SkyCity profits from the proceeds of crime,” says Denise Roche of The Greens. “When money is laundered through their casino, SkyCity profits from the business”.
Concerned citizens are worried that things are only going to get worse, as the local government has granted SkyCity permission to install a ticket-in ticket-out gambling system. This will enable cashless gambling, which allows players to spend money anonymously. They do not have to speak with a member of staff to cash out, so there is no way for the casino to monitor activity for potential money laundering.
The Greens have called on members of the public to fight the installation of cashless gambling systems at SkyCity in hopes of discouraging criminals from laundering money at the casino.
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