A loaded sawn-off shotgun, a stash of drugs, $14,000 cash and two air rifles were some of the gear found in a vehicle driven by a man described as a serious drug dealer who will now spend at least three years in jail.
Marshall James Dennis Joyce, 39, a grandfather, was stopped by an observant police officer while taking an early morning drive through Whangārei in October 2015.
The officer's suspicions were raised when the licence plate did not match the vehicle and it was stopped near the Maunu Rd lights about 3am. A search of the vehicle revealed all the equipment of a drug dealer including an ammunition press, tick books, a knife and a bag of gold jewellery.
Joyce was subsequently found guilty by a jury of possession of 28gm of methamphetamine, possession of 15gm of cannabis, possession of a firearm, two charges of possession of two air rifles, six charges of offering to supply methamphetamine and three charges of supplying methamphetamine.
He appeared for sentence in the Whangārei District Court this week. Judge Brooke Gibson appeared by a video link from Kaikohe Court as Joyce stood in the dock at Whangārei Courthouse.