Police have seized a 448kg haul of methamphetamine in New Zealand’s Northland, in what they say is “without a doubt” the country’s largest-ever bust.

Officers found the drugs - estimated to be worth $NZ448m (£222m) on the street - after becoming suspicious of an abandoned boat at 90 Mile Beach and hearing reports of two men driving around over the past two weeks offering locals large amounts of cash to help launch vessels off the beach.

As police were checking the runabout on Sunday, a Toyota Prado they were looking for drove by, prompting a brief chase that ended at the nearby Ahipara Golf Course.

Two Auckland men, aged 31 and 26, were arrested before a police officer on his way home spotted another wanted vehicle, a campervan, driving around in Totara North, prompting the arrest of a third man, aged 19.

In the van they found suitcases and bags containing dozens of zip-lock bags full of methamphetamine, totalling 448kg.

“This is without a doubt, the largest ever seizure of methamphetamine in New Zealand,” Northland district commander superintendent Russell Le Prou said in a statement.

“What is so great about this is that its not only the result of hard work by the Northland police, but its the result of information we got from the community.”

There were 15 suitcase-sized bags, each with up to 30kg of methamphetamine – which is known as “P” in New Zealand – inside, which Le Prou likened to drug hauls depicted in movies.

The bags had salt water on them.

“You may infer from that that it’s possibly been left out at sea for a while and picked up by that smaller boat,” Le Prou told RNZ.

“If New Zealand was the ultimate destination, I would say 448kg would have made a significant impact on New Zealand... that level of harm we can’t tolerate.”

Police say the single seizure easily outstrips all the methamphetamine seized in 2015 - when 334kg was grabbed.

Customs is working with police on the case as they try to determine where the drugs came from and if anyone else was involved.

All three men are expected to appear in Kaitaia District Court on Tuesday morning facing charges of importing class A drugs and Possession for supply.