William Luke Macfarlane jnr in the High Court at Rotorua for sentencing. Photo / Andrew Warner
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Originally published on November 2.
William Macfarlane jnr learnt drug dealing from the best - his father.
Now, Macfarlane jnr has been jailed for nine years and six months for sophisticated large-scale drug importing and dealing around Rotorua and Tauranga - ironically while his dad - Billy Macfarlane snr - is now a respected leader turning around the lives of notorious criminals.
Macfarlane jnr, 39, appeared in the High Court at Rotorua for sentencing today after admitting being the kingpin behind a drug dealing ring that aimed to make up to $20 million a year.
He admitted 16 charges relating to the importation and supply of GBL and MDMA and the importation of chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine.
Macfarlane jnr’s empire was busted after the theft of 3050kg of iodine from Mainfreight in Tauranga and a subsequent police trail led to the Rotorua man’s home.
The High Court at Rotorua heard how his drug dealing was sophisticated. He would buy the drugs and chemicals using the dark web and pay for them with the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.
Lawyer Mark Edgar said his client learnt the tricks of the trade from his father - a prominent former drug lord now turned good. Macfarlane snr is behind a tikanga Māori-based programme for ex-offenders called Pūwhakamua.
Macfarlane snr sat in court yesterday in support - despite being estranged from his son in what was described in court as now being a “toxic” relationship.
Macfarlane jnr’s mother and other family members sat on the other side of the public gallery, also in support of Macfarlane jnr.
Macfarlane snr told the Rotorua Daily Post last year his son wanted to be like him, but unfortunately, he turned out to be the man he was, not the man he is now. He said he had become estranged from his son because he recognised the signs of what he was up to in the criminal world.
In court on Friday, Edgar detailed how it was Macfarlane snr who got his son into drug dealing. At a young age he would use him to buy pills and pay him for his work.
Macfarlane snr moved to the South Island with his mother but returned to be with his father when he was 18 because he knew he could earn more money drug dealing.
It was then he was introduced to methamphetamine. Macfarlane snr was living in a drug grow house run by his father and buying pills on his behalf and selling them, Edgar said.
“He was learning the trade. It was about making money and he was good at it. He had learnt from the best ... He wanted to be the man. The man his father was.”
Justice Woolford said Macfarlane jnr had previous convictions for drug dealing but lived a crime-free life for a short period before getting back into the trade.
Justice Woolford said Macfarlane jnr got his girlfriend, Charlotte Zelda Ward, 31, hooked on methamphetamine and used her to help in the syndicate. It was her role to keep a spreadsheet of names, addresses and tracking information for the imported packages from various courier companies.
Ward also appeared in court and was sentenced on seven charges. She was facing a prison term but Justice Woolford reduced her sentence to one of 10 and a half months’ home detention taking into account she was now drug-free and was looking after her 9-year-old daughter.
She was studying towards a degree at university and university staff confirmed in written submissions she had passed initial papers with A+ scores.
Justice Woolford also took into account Ward’s difficult childhood, when she lost her mother to cancer at 13 and her father found a new partner and sent Ward to boarding school. Ward told her pre-sentence report writer her father ignored her requests to go home to visit at the weekends.
When she was 18 she left New Zealand for Australia and became involved in the party, drugs and alcohol scene before having a string of bad relationships, including one with a 47-year-old man.
She met Macfarlane through her former partner, whom she had her daughter with, but he was murdered. Ward and Macfarlane jnr’s relationship grew through their shared grief.
Justice Woolford said he accepted Macfarlane jnr was genuinely sorry for getting Ward involved and they were still a couple, despite Macfarlane jnr being in custody for the past two years.
Justice Woolford said the seriousness of the offending warranted him issuing a minimum period of imprisonment of four years and nine months.
A police summary of facts says Tauranga CIB started an investigation, codenamed Operation Schultz, in November 2019 following the iodine theft in Tauranga.
The amount of iodine was capable of producing 2318kg of methamphetamine that would have had a street value of $370 million, the summary said.
Police put Macfarlane jnr under surveillance from July 2020 at his Lytton St house and identified he was involved in importing and supplying GBL and MDMA. He was also involved in importing ephedrine, iodine and hypophosphorous acid - drugs used to make methamphetamine.
In one conversation, Macfarlane jnr said to Ward to see if she could make $20m in a year.
Police terminated the operation on September 29, 2020, after working with New Zealand Customs for several months to intercept packages.
Daniel McMeeking buried his Black Power patch with his father when he died last year - signalling his intention to change his life and say goodbye to crime and drug dealing.
McMeeking has 100 previous convictions and was considered William Macfarlane’s “business partner” in the large-scale drug-dealing ring.
Despite that, Justice Woolford today gave him significant discounts for leaving the gang and getting drug-free.
He was jailed for three and a half years on charges including supplying methamphetamine and conspiring to deal methamphetamine.
Jane Dennis, considered the cook of the operation, was jailed for four years and seven months for manufacturing methamphetamine, Shilo Te Kani was given 11 months’ home detention for possession of methamphetamine for supply and conspiring to import GBL and Karla Wickham was given 10 and a half months’ home detention for importing GBL and methamphetamine.
Police have acknowledged the sentencing of the six people.
Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said the operation was a joint investigation led by the national organised crime group’s national clandestine laboratory response team and Customs NZ, and supported by local staff.
The investigation led to 13 arrests; seven had pleaded guilty at earlier hearings.
Thomson said police acknowledged Customs for its involvement and “significant role in identifying and preventing large quantities of drugs from entering New Zealand”.
Thomson said police from Rotorua, Tauranga and Waikato were instrumental in supporting the operation and contributing to its success.
Thomson said the social harm done by illicit drugs in New Zealand communities could not be understated.
“The lives of addicted users are ruined, and the hurt inflicted on those who care about them is enormous.”
Anyone affected by drugs is urged to seek help through the Alcohol and Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797, or free text 868. Anyone with information about drug offending in their communities is urged to contact police anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The Government has no concerns about the development on state land in Ngongotahā.