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Two well known criminals believed to have been murdered, were heavily addicted to drugs, say police.
The two men disappeared from Tauranga last year - one seven months ago and one in December - but police believe they were both murdered and their deaths may be linked.
Darrell James Crawford, 35, and William Taikato, 40, were both involved in the drug scene and Taikato had strong ties to gang members.
Today Detective Senior Sergeant Darryl Brazier, said they were involved in the drug scene at various levels but both were known to be drug addicts although he would not say what drugs they used or if they used drugs daily.
He said he was confident the intelligence police had that they had been murdered was correct although it was too soon to say if they had been murdered by the same people.
Mr Brazier said it was also too soon to say if they had been murdered because a drug deal turned sour or if they were getting too ambitious and had been killed because they were a threat to other drug dealers.
"We are not even sure if their deaths are as a result of their involvement in the drug scene. We have to keep a pretty open mind about it."
He said the two men knew each other, had common associates, lived in the same area and were in the same drug scene.
"We are talking about men who are active in the (drugs) scene in Tauranga. They are known to a lot of people, they have addictions to certain drugs, they are always on the lookout for money and they don't have the ability, financial or otherwise, to disappear at their own free will.
"They haven't touched their benefits, they haven't touched their bank accounts and they haven't been in contact with their friends or relatives which for both of them is very unusual."
He said police believe the information that both had been murdered came from very reliable sources.
He said other users and associates had told police both men were heavy users and heavily involved in the drug scene.
"They were involved in the whole ambit of drugs."
He said there was no indication of where the two men's bodies had been dumped but if they were in the water the chances of finding them were fairly remote.
He said even if they had been written off as not being useful members of society because of their drug and gang activities, that was not the issue.
He said they did not deserve to be murdered and their parents were entitled to know what had happened to their children.
Mr Crawford's car, a Nissan Cefiro, was found unlocked with the keys in the ignition at Oropi, a remote rural area of Tauranga, a few days after he was last seen.
The vehicle was abandoned well off the road about a 25 minute drive from where Mr Crawford was flatting.
Anyone with information about what had happened to them, where their bodies were or where Taikato's 1996 green Holden Commodore was (registered number UF9688) should call police on 0800 SPEAKUP or 07 577 4300.
- NZPA
