Businessman admits possessing Ecstasy

James Ross Stevenson, 39, was fined $300 after pleading guilty to possessing the drug. Picture / Brett Phibbs

An Auckland businessman who went looking for Ecstasy called "Red Smurfs" has pleaded guilty to possessing the drug after being caught in the same drug ring that netted television sports celebrity Marc Ellis.

James Ross Stevenson, a 39-year-old from Freemans Bay, was fined $300 and $150 court costs when he appeared in the Auckland District Court on Wednesday.

Stevenson and an unknown associate were caught in a police surveillance operation buying 36 Ecstasy tablets from an Auckland man.

He cannot be identified but is the same man who supplied Ellis and a friend with 10 Ecstasy tablets.

Ellis last week admitted buying five pills for personal use at a cost of $60 each. He was convicted and fined $300.

Wealthy property developer David Henderson was convicted and given a suspended sentence last month for attempting to buy cocaine from the same supplier.

According to the police summary of facts, Stevenson contacted the drug supplier on June 27 to ask for Ecstasy he called "Red Smurfs".

He was told there was none of that type left but the supplier said he had a new type that was just as good.

Stevenson asked about the price and was told the tablets cost the same as the last ones. The price was not disclosed in court documents.

The next day, Stevenson rang the supplier and said he and his associate "have a lot of money for you".

After a meeting Stevenson contacted the supplier to complain that one of three bags he had been given contained only nine tablets.

"It transpires that [supplier] had supplied [Stevenson] and his associate with 36 tablets that were contained in three bags of 10 and one bag of six."

Stevenson said the missing pill was from his bag and questioned whether it was deliberately removed because of one he was given the "other day".

When spoken to by police, Stevenson denied the facts and said he had not bought any Ecstasy.

The summary said Stevenson, who is listed in Companies Office records as the director and a shareholder of Brand Managers Ltd, had previously appeared before the court.

He was the fifth person among the nine people charged in connection with the drug ring to plead guilty.

Restaurant manager Philip James Clark was fined $250 after admitting he tried to procure cocaine.

Clark phoned a supplier seeking 1g of cocaine, which he referred to in code as "hats".

Elliot John Worrall, a 30-year-old Ponsonby financial analyst, last week pleaded guilty to possessing Ecstasy and is seeking a discharge without conviction.

Four men are still before the courts, including Albany mechanic Adamu Shazizi Awahdi and Marcus Worrall, who has appeared in the Queenstown District Court.

The other two accused include the person alleged to be at the top end of the ring and a property developer who has name suppression.

The property developer has interim suppression pending an appeal after Judge Josephine Bouchier yesterday refused continued name suppression.

The man's lawyer, Barry Hart, argued that his client's elderly mother and stepfather had significant health problems and naming the man would have a serious effect on their conditions.

Mr Hart said there would also be a serious and detrimental effect on the man's business interests.

Judge Bouchier said the health problems were not expected to change.

Former league star Brent Todd has been named in court documents as a joint offender in supplying cocaine and cannabis but has not been charged with any offence.

Todd asked the court to lift name suppression and stated that he had not bought, sold or supplied prohibited drugs.

Drug dictionary

A guide to the code words used by drug buyers in Operation Aqua:

"Red smurfs": Ecstasy (Auckland businessman James Stevenson)

"Vintage wine": Cocaine (property developer David Henderson)

"Hats": Cocaine (restaurant manager Philip Clark)