Brother admits cocaine charges

An Australian has followed his brother and admitted bringing an estimated $300,000 of cocaine from Chile to New Zealand and then trying to take it to Australia.

However, his brother's girlfriend is denying charges over the same incident.

Sergio Ivan Seguel, 43, a gardener from Sydney, today admitted charges in Manukau District Court of importing cocaine and attempting to export the class A drug.

He will reappear for sentencing in the High Court in Auckland on December 5.

His guilty plea follows that of his 41-year-old brother, Dario Alexander Seguel, who was jailed for seven years in the High Court in Auckland in August after admitting the same charges.

A charge of possessing cocaine for supply against Sergio Seguel was today withdrawn, as it had been previously for his brother.

The pair were arrested at Auckland International Airport on February 15 after being found with 500g of high-purity cocaine which had been liquified into three bottles of perfume. They had been trying to take the cocaine to Sydney.

Also arrested at the airport on February 15 was Maria Astrid Christia, 44, a fashion designer and Dario Seguel's girlfriend at the time.

A depositions hearing began today in Manukau District Court for Christia, who faces the same two charges the brothers admitted as well as the possession for supply charge.

Her lawyer Peter Winter told NZPA before the hearing that Christia denied all the charges.

Evidence from 31 prosecution witnesses was to be presented at the hearing, six of whom were to take the witness stand. The hearing is expected to conclude tomorrow.

- NZPA