Woman who died after kidnapping had served jail time

Jindarat Prutsiriporn, aged 50 of Auckland, was the woman of Thai descent who died from her injuries after falling from a moving car bound and gagged in Papatoetoe. Photo / Supplied

The Thai woman who died from injuries she sustained from escaping from a moving car, while bound and gagged, previously served jail time for drug offences.

Jindarat Prutsiriporn's death is being investigated as a homicide. Police said today that she may have had links to the organised-crime scene.

Middlemore Hospital confirmed this morning Jindarat died from her injuries just after 11pm yesterday.

Police are piecing together why she was in the boot, who put her there and what happened to her before she was found bleeding and unresponsive with critical injuries on Huia Rd, Papatoetoe, on Tuesday night.

It appears the woman used a metal rod to jemmy open the boot and make her bid for freedom. With her hands and feet tied and strips of fabric and a man's tie wound tightly around her neck, she managed to escape.

It can now be revealed the 50-year-old was locked up for two and a half years in 2011 after pleading guilty to conspiring to import the methamphetamine precursor pseudoephedrine as well as other drug offences.

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The charges stemmed from a search of a Hawkes Bay property in November 2009 that uncovered more than 70g of methamphetamine and quantities of cannabis.

As a result of the find, Hastings beneficiary George Wakely, who was 54 at the time, was sentenced to five years, nine months in prison on multiple charges of importing pseudoephedrine and others of possessing methamphetamine and cannabis for supply.

Counties Manukau Crime Manager, Detective Inspector Dave Lynch speaks to media at the scene. Photo / Jason Oxenham

His Thai-born wife Juthamat Wakely, then 45 years old, was sentenced to 8 months' home detention on related charges.

Detective Inspector Dave Lynch said police were still appealing for sightings of a late model silver vehicle in Papatoetoe and surrounding areas on Tuesday night.

Police cordon at the corner of Huia Rd and East Tamaki Rd in Papatoetoe, Photo / Jason Oxenham

"We want to assure the public we are doing everything we can to locate the person or persons involved in this crime," he said.

"However, we still need members of the public who saw anything they think may be relevant to contact us."

Anyone with information to assist the Operation Sisal team is asked to call 0508 422 443.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.