A man missing from Auckland for more than six weeks amid “grave concerns” from police was charged as part of a record-breaking money laundering case.
He was also involved in an altercation on the day he disappeared, police revealed on Thursday, 47 days since he was last seen.
Ronny Okeke, 60, was last seen walking out of the New World supermarket in Mt Roskill on April 27.
He had tried phoning his wife overseas earlier that day, police said. He was then reported missing on May 3.
Okeke was charged with two counts of money laundering as part of Operation Ida in May 2021.
Operation Ida was a sprawling police operation targeting Ye “Cathay” Hua, who laundered millions for a transnational drug syndicate from her Newmarket money remittance business, Lidong Foreign Exchange in Kent St.
Police alleged Okeke was involved in using Lidong to transfer more than $250,000 in cash to China without proper checks being performed as required by the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act.
However, the two money laundering charges he faced were dropped by the prosecution later in 2021, the Auckland District Court confirmed.
Hua was sentenced in November to seven and a half years in prison, by far the longest term handed down in New Zealand for money laundering.
In a trial earlier this year a jury found her guilty of laundering at least $18 million, mostly at the behest of Xavier Valent, who masterminded one of New Zealand’s largest drug syndicates.
He was sentenced to life in prison last year after he was found guilty of scores of drugs charges at his own trial.
Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, of Auckland City CIB, said police had executed search warrants at properties in Mt Eden and Ramarama as part of the investigation into Okeke’s disappearance.
Police at this stage are not describing the investigation as a homicide inquiry and are understood to be keeping an open mind as to why he may have gone to ground.
“No arrests have been made at this point, but I can confirm we have since spoken with a person of interest in relation to Ronny’s disappearance,” Baldwin said.
“We now have information that an altercation occurred between this man and Ronny on, or around, April 27.
“It is believed Ronny may have been injured as a result, but as for the severity of any injuries, we still do not know.
“His whereabouts beyond April 27 is also not known.”
Police had not made any arrests in the case, Baldwin said.
“What we do know is that this altercation occurred, and Ronny has not been heard from since,” he said.
“The investigation team are continuing to keep an open mind around Ronny’s disappearance but we undoubtedly have grave concerns for him at this point.”
Detectives have also recovered his phone.
“This is an important piece in the puzzle and work is ongoing to interrogate the phone, and extract all possible relevant information,” Baldwin said.
Police are asking anyone with information to get in touch.
“If you have information or if you have been involved in helping Ronny lay low, or seek medical attention, I urge you to come forward.
“Ronny’s family are nearing two months without hearing from him, and being overseas they are understandably distressed and concerned for him.”
The 19-year-old was found in a remote area in the hills of Upper Hutt.