Cocaine accused closes legal fee-fundraising page

Gonzalo Rivera-Pavon is facing charges relating to the largest-ever seizure of cocaine in New Zealand, worth an estimated street value of $14 million. Photograph Facebook

A man charged in relation to New Zealand's biggest cocaine bust who was asking Kiwis to help fund his legal defence has now closed a fundraising page online.

Gonzalo Rivera-Pavon, 30, fellow Mexican national Augustini Suarez, 44, and American Ronald Cook Snr, 56, were arrested in July after Customs found 35kg of the drug inside a 400kg diamante-encrusted horse head statue that arrived by plane from Mexico.

All three have pleaded not guilty to charges of importing and possessing the drug, which had an estimated street value of $14 million.

The Herald on Sunday revealed today that, a month before the trio are set to go on trial at the Auckland High Court, a Givealittle fundraising page had been set up in Rivera-Pavon's name and was asking people to donate money for his legal fees.

As of last night six people had donated, bringing the total to $2745.

No further donations were made after the Herald on Sunday published the story today - and the page has been closed.

It was set up by Melanie Bachi who described herself as a good friend of Rivera-Pavon.

After the Herald on Sunday reached out to the pair - the accused man is on bail and appears to be active on social media - his photograph was removed from the Givealittle page, as was Bachi's name which was replaced by her initials.

Rivera-Pavon's Facebook page has also been disabled.

Neither he or Bachi responded to requests for comment.