KEY POINTS:
A retired pharmacist and pillar of his South Auckland community is facing 12 charges over an alleged role in a P-making operation.
Samuel Ross Pulman, 68, of Pukekohe, is charged with making the highly addictive form of methamphetamine with eight other people.
He faces separate charges of supplying pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in the drug, to nine people, possessing pseudoephedrine and possessing equipment needed to make P.
The Pharmacy Council of New Zealand has been alerted and may investigate further, depending on the outcome of the criminal case.
His lawyer, Nigel Cooke, said Pulman would defend the charges because he was innocent.
He has been remanded on bail since December 12 with a 24-hour curfew and is not allowed alcohol, drugs or to enter any pharmacy.
Pulman can leave home only for doctor's visits and was out when the Herald on Sunday visited on Thursday.
He returned an hour later and politely said he had been advised not to comment.
Pulman is involved with the Pukekohe Youth Council and is a longtime member of Pukekohe Rotary, Lifeline and the Pukekohe Tennis Club.
An associate said Pulman's friends were shocked by the charges.
At the time of the alleged offending, between January 2006 and December 2007, Pulman worked at Unichem Pukekohe Pharmacy.
He retired before Christmas.
No other employees are facing charges.
Pulman was arrested during a police investigation into clandestine drug labs last year. Detective Steven Hare said he could not comment further until the police case was outlined at a depositions hearing.
A date for that hearing at Pukekohe District Court has yet to be set.
With his wife, Helen, and other family members, Pulman is a director of Lifecare Chemist in Cambridge.
Pharmacy Council chief executive Bronwyn Clark said he was on a non-practising register and was unable to dispense medicine.
"It would be improper for me to comment on a matter that is yet to be concluded," she said.
"But I can say that as required by law this matter will be considered with the principle of protecting the health and safety of the members of the public as paramount concern. And with Mr Pulman's current inability to practise pharmacy that is being upheld."
If a member is sentenced to more than three months in jail, the council automatically forwards the case to its professional conduct committee.
The committee will investigate and can lay charges with the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.
