Tauranga college student sells cannabis to police

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A Bay college student caught dealing drugs during an undercover police sting operation is awaiting sentence.

Thomas Bigwood, 17, a student at Otumoetai College, pleaded guilty to three charges of possession of cannabis for supply, and five charges of selling cannabis in Tauranga District Court yesterday - offences which each attract a maximum sentence of eight years prison.

The police summary of facts revealed between November 8 and 23 last year, police conducted an undercover operation code named Operation Mantis targeting known drug houses.

That included two undercover officers buying evidential amounts of cannabis known as 'tinnies' or 'baggies' from Bigwood on four occasions for $20 at his Russell Pl home between November 9 and November 23.

Bigwood also supplied a small quantity of cannabis to an unknown female on November 9 which he weighed on a set of scales, before he wrapped it in tinfoil - commonly known as a tinny.

During one of the sales Bigwood sourced the cannabis he sold from a larger bag containing about an ounce of cannabis before weighing out the amount requested by the police officer.

On November 16 when an undercover officer visited the house to buy another tinny, Bigwood was sitting in a shed smoking cannabis from a wooden pipe.

When one of the police officers asked about buying an ounce of cannabis, Bigwood replied he would have to ask another person, and told the officer his name was "Dark Thomas".

When one officer inquired should he text Bigwood if he wanted to buy an ounce of cannabis, Bigwood replied: "Yeah text me and we'll get it."

Bigwood and the officer made arrangements to make the buy on November 26.

When police executed a search warrant at Bigwood's home the same day, they located a large quantity of cannabis.

Bigwood admitted to police he had been buying half ounces of cannabis, and smoking some and packaging the rest into tinnies or small bags, sold to three customers the day before. He estimated he made about 10 sales a week over the previous few months.

Bigwood was remanded on bail pending sentencing on April 23. Judge Christopher Harding told Bigwood he was not making any promises about the outcome.