Alleged Tauranga synthetic cannabis supply ring deny charges

Hira Noble, Luana Nobe, Tommy Hira Noble, Michelle Te Paki and Michael Lawrence all denied a raft of synthetic cannabis dealing charges in Tauranga District Court yesterday. Photo/File

Two women and three men at the centre of an alleged synthetic cannabis supply ring in Tauranga will defend the police allegations at a jury trial.

Hira Noble, 51, his wife Luana Noble, and his father Tommy Hira Noble, along with Michelle Te Paki, 52, and Michael Charles Lawrence, 42, denied a raft of charges in the Tauranga District Court on Tuesday.

The charges stem from an undercover police operation which began in February and ended in the arrests of the five defendants back in April.

Police say Hira Noble was the man at the top of the alleged supply chain.

He has pleaded not guilty to 44 charges which relate to the manufacture of psychoactive substances, possession of the substances for supply, and selling synthetic cannabis.

He, his wife and father also denied joint charges of money laundering almost $917,000 between 2015 and April 2018. Luana Noble also pleaded not guilty to dealing the drug.

Tommy Noble, 74, also pleaded not guilty to 15 joint charges each of supplying synthetic cannabis and possessing the drugs for supply.

Lawrence will defend joint charges of manufacturing and dealing these substances.

Te Paki and Luana Noble also pleaded not guilty to dealing charges.

Judge Paul Mabey QC remanded the five defendants to next appear in court on September 3 for a case review hearing. No trial date has yet been set down.