Meth beer case: Trial of man accused of the manslaughter of Aiden Sagala is under way at the High Court

The methamphetamine level in Aiden Sagala’s body when he died of an overdose after unknowingly consuming the drug from a laced beer can was “off the charts”, according to a Crown lawyer.

The trial of Himatjit Singh Kahlon, 40, accused of the manslaughter of Sagala, 21, in March last year is under way in the High Court at Auckland.

Kahlon has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, possessing methamphetamine for supply and possessing cocaine for supply between January 7 and March 14, 2023.

Himatjit Kahlon is on trial at the High Court in Auckland. He has pleaded not guilty to drug charges and the manslaughter of 21-year-old Aiden Sagala. Photo / Jason Oxenham

In her opening address, Crown lawyer Pip McNabb told the High Court Sagala died on March 7, 2023, from a “significant” methamphetamine overdose.

The Crown said Sagala was given cans of what he thought was beer, some of which police say were laced with methamphetamine.

The Crown said Sagala, an innocent party in an alleged drug importation ring, was given the cans by the defendant. Some cans did contain actual beer.

However, on the evening of March 2, 2023, when Sagala cracked open a can he told his brother-in-law Billy Anelusi the contents “tasted salty”.

Anelusi tried the beer and “spat it out” because it had a chemical taste, according to McNabb.

Sagala later suffered a seizure and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance.

Five days later, he died from what the Crown today said was a “significant” methamphetamine overdose.

The meth levels were “off the charts” according to McNabb.

The Crown alleges Kahon’s fingerprints were later found on several items inside an industrial unit on Ryan Place in Manukau, where police found thousands of cans.

McNabb said Kahlon tried to get rid of the “worthless” cans that didn’t contain methamphetamine by giving them to friends and family.

Sagala, who worked at Fonterra with the defendant, was given several cans wrapped in plastic.

The Crown’s case is that Kahlon “did not take reasonable care or precaution” to ensure the cans didn’t contain methamphetamine.

”He failed to discharge his duty and is criminally responsible” for Sagala’s death, McNabb told the court.

Sagala’s death sparked Operation Lavender, a wider investigation into an alleged methamphetamine importation operation, as well as a warning to the public not to consume cans labelled Honey Bear House Beer — packaged in a distinctive red and blue aluminium can with imagery of a bear and a maple leaf.

Sagala was innocent, and police said he had no role in the drug importation.

Aiden Sagala, 21, of Auckland, died after drinking a beer which police say was laced with methamphetamine.

In the course of the investigation, police reported seizing 747kg of methamphetamine in Manukau. The street value was in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Police seized dozens of the Honey Bear House Beer cans from a Manukau unit.

Police seized cans of "Honey Bear House Beer" from a unit at Ryan Place in Auckland's Manukau. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Sagala’s family, including his parents and sisters, are sitting in the public gallery at the trial before Justice Kiri Tahana.

It estimated to run for three weeks and the Crown is expected to call 48 witnesses.

Angela Sagala is Aiden Sagala's sister. She has named her baby boy after her brother.

Aiden’s sister, Angela Sagala, has recently given birth to a baby boy named Aiden after her late brother.

She told the Herald the family think of Aiden every day.

“We miss our brother. We lost a life but then God gave us our son in the same year.”