Sports stars in drug case

Two of the men who appeared in court yesterday, and whose names have been suppressed. Pictures / Dean Purcell, Glenn Jeffrey

Two celebrities have been caught up in a drug bust in Central Auckland.

The former sportsmen have been named in court documents but their identities are suppressed while police continue investigating what they say is a white-collar ring.

One is identified as a joint offender in supplying cocaine and cannabis, and the other is named as a buyer of Ecstasy.

Judge Thomas Everitt made an interim order yesterday preventing the identification of 10 people who either appeared in court or were mentioned in court documents.


They included the two household names, who had yet to be spoken to by police. Newstalk ZB reported this morning that they were currently overseas.


The judge said the suppression would stand "until they are before the court".

During proceedings, Judge Everitt paused, then asked if the names on documents in front of him were the people he thought they were.

Police prosecutor Terry Singh acknowledged that they were.

The pair were named in charges faced by a company director who was among six men arrested in raids on 10 addresses in central Auckland yesterday.

The 55-year-old company director is alleged to be at the top end of the ring and faces 22 charges.

He is charged that on June 10 he "jointly offended" with one of the celebrities in supplying cocaine to another person. The pair are also alleged to have supplied cannabis to another person on June 30.

The company director is further charged with supplying Ecstasy to the second celebrity and another person on June 25.

He was remanded in custody to reappear in court today.

His co-accused, who were granted bail, include a property developer, 51, who lives in a Central Auckland apartment building; a restaurant manager, 31, from Grey Lynn; and a mechanic, 30, from Albany.

Others are a self-employed businessman, 39, who, the court was told, has many reputable clients, and a 30-year-old from Herne Bay, who did not have an occupation stated on court documents.

The Herald understands the name of at least one other celebrity has popped up in the sting, codenamed Aqua.

Superintendent Ted Cox said the operation targeted a drug-dealing syndicate allegedly involved in the supply of methamphetamine, Ecstasy and cocaine, and in a conspiracy to supply.

He said the police investigation should be completed within a week. He would not be drawn on whether officers were going after the celebrity pair and others named in court.

"Obviously with the nature of the suppression orders and the naming of some of the people, I guess they've also got some remedies they might want to pursue.

"There might be some that aren't charged because of the nature of their offending being at the bottom end of the scale. But there will be some who will be charged as the inquiry continues."

Mr Cox said the bust showed drug-dealing was not limited to the criminal underworld and gangs.

He said it reinforced research last year that showed amphetamine-type stimulant drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and Ecstasy were used by people from all walks of life.

"The report indicated availability of these types of drugs as 'easy' or 'very easy'," said Mr Cox, "and that [such] drug use is prevalent across the community."

The accused

* A 55-year-old company director alleged to be at the top end of the drug ring is facing 22 charges, including possession of methamphetamine for supply, possession of Ecstasy for supply, supplying Ecstasy, supplying cocaine, conspiracy to supply Ecstasy, conspiracy to supply cocaine, offering to supply Ecstasy and offering to supply methamphetamine.

* A 51-year-old property developer faces one charge of conspiracy to supply Ecstasy.

* A 31-year-old restaurant manager is charged with conspiring to supply cocaine.

* A 30-year-old mechanic is charged with conspiracy to supply Ecstasy, supplying Ecstasy and possession of Ecstasy for supply.

* A 39-year-old self-employed businessman is charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine and supplying Ecstasy.

* A 30-year-old man with no stated occupation is charged with possession of Ecstasy for supply.

* Sports celebrity A is listed on a charge sheet having "jointly offended" with the company director of supplying cocaine and cannabis. He has not appeared in court.

* Sports celebrity B is listed on a charge sheet as being supplied with Ecstasy by the company director. He has not appeared in court.