Police probe 501 deportee's suspicious chemical orders

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Police suspect a 501 deportee returned from Australia for cooking meth planned to do the same thing here and began ordering the necessary chemicals soon after arriving at a managed quarantine hotel in 2020.

Among those chemicals was an alleged 350 kilograms of potassium iodine imported in two shipments from India.

Jack Thomas Samuel Rockefeller, 40, known by several other aliases and whose real name is Timothy Beadle, has appeared intermittently in Gisborne District Court this year for preliminary procedural matters in the Crown’s case against him.

He appeared briefly again last week at a hearing in which the Crown was granted leave to withdraw two charges —conspiring to produce meth and manufacturing meth.

Rockefeller is left facing charges for importing, possessing, and attempting to possess precursor substances, materials and equipment required to produce meth; offering to supply meth; and producing cannabis oil.

The offences are alleged to have occurred between November 2020 and May 2022 at Auckland and elsewhere, including Gisborne.

Rockefeller is represented by Palmerston North-based lawyer Steve Winter, who entered not guilty pleas on his client's behalf.

The case was adjourned and Rockefeller was further remanded on electronically-monitored bail for another fixture later this year.

Mr Winter signalled Rockefeller would apply to have his bail changed to the ordinary regime as he was working and didn’t need constant monitoring.

A date is yet to be set for that application.

Rockefeller was deported to New Zealand under Australia’s 501 policy on July 14, 2020.

Between 2003 and 2020, he had clocked up numerous convictions in Australia, including for manufacturing methamphetamine.

Upon his arrival back in New Zealand, Rockefeller allegedly set up a number of registered and unregistered companies, which police alleged he used to order various chemicals and materials associated with the manufacturing of meth and cannabis oil.

Having completed a two-week stay in an Auckland hotel facility, he is then said to have moved to nearby inner-city accommodation, leaving the forwarding address with hotel staff.

Police claim to have been alerted to Rockefeller’s alleged offending when chemical supply companies and customs staff grew suspicious of the orders.

Rockefeller was traced through addresses he supplied the companies and the one he left with hotel staff.

In mounting a case against Rockefeller, police monitored texts Rockefeller sent and received between November, 2020 and March, 2022.

Rockefeller allegedly told police he was manufacturing perfume and vape juice.