P pair jailed in successful end to sting

Couriers, or mules, often strap drugs tightly to their bodies to evade detection. Photo / Supplied

A drug mule caught with more than $1 million worth of methamphetamine strapped to his body led to the discovery of $250,000 in cash - and long jail terms for two Chinese drug dealers.

In the High Court at Auckland this week, Jian Huan Zhong, 48, was sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment.

Co-offender Yuen Yee Pau, 37, was jailed for 16 years.

The pair were caught in a police sting in February last year after Japanese man Sakae Araki was searched at Auckland Airport and found to have 1kg of methamphetamine, or P, worth up to $1 million strapped to his back.

He claimed a female friend owed money to the two Chinese and that the debt was to be wiped if he smuggled the drugs into New Zealand.

Araki agreed to help police with a controlled delivery of the drug, most of which was replaced with rock salt, leaving only 250 grams of methamphetamine.

That evening, he received a phone call from 58-year-old Chi Ming Law from Hong Kong who arranged to meet him at the Rendezvous Hotel.

He arrived to meet Araki the following day. Zhong and Pau were in the car. The two gave Law US$20,000 in cash, and waited outside while he went into the hotel.

Hidden cameras showed Law knocking on the hotel room door, taking the drugs from Araki's bag and leaving - all without saying a word.

Police arrested Law with the drugs as he left the hotel, then found Zhong and Pau in their car parked outside.

They denied any wrongdoing, but police found cash worth $46,000 in Pau's handbag and $50,000 in a plastic bag at Zhong's home. Another $152,000 was found in a safety deposit box in an ASB bank vault.

Pau said the money was from former boyfriends, and Zhong claimed the cash was won at the casino.

Police later learned from Law of two earlier importations of the class A drug involving Pau and Zhong in November and December 2007.

On both occasions, a drug mule from Hong Kong smuggled methamphetamine into the country by strapping the drugs to his body and passing through Customs.

The courier would deliver the methamphetamine in a brown paper or plastic bag to Law, who would then meet Zhong and Pau at the main entrance to SkyCity Casino in central Auckland.

The pair would pull up in their car so Law could get in, then stop a short distance later so he could leave without the package.

Araki and Law were each jailed for 6 years for their part in the drug ring.

Zhong and Pau will spend a minimum of 9 and 7 years in jail respectively.

Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Cahill, of the Auckland organised crime and drugs squad, said the long sentences given to Pau and Zhong showed the judiciary continued to recognise the methamphetamine problem in New Zealand.

"These people were clearly significant players with three known importations. If we found three, we would expect that more would have happened. It's a pleasing result all round."