Millionaire bids to keep name secret
A wealthy Auckland businessman has admitted buying nearly $45,000 worth of cocaine after a police sting on an alleged drug ring with high-flying clients.
The company boss, who owns a mansion, pleaded guilty to possession of a Class-A drug after police arrested him with an ounce, or 28g.
In total, the millionaire bought four ounces, or 112g, between May and August.
Typically, cocaine sells for around $7000 an ounce or $400 a gram when supplied in the smaller amount.
The millionaire has interim name suppression and will seek to keep his identity secret permanently at his sentencing hearing in December.
This will be argued on the grounds of the damage to the busi- ness from any negative publicity.
He was one of 13 people arrested after a covert police investigation into an alleged drug network selling cocaine and methamphetamine.
A hairdresser — who has name suppression — a fashion designer and a senior Hells Angels gang member were the three original targets in Operation Ceviche, which led to the seizure of 760g of cocaine, worth $300,000, and $81,000 cash in late August.
Early on, detectives focused on Anthony “Ants” Nansen, the sergeant-at-arms for the Hells Angels’ Nomads chapter and a champion kickboxer.
The 33-year-old has been denied bail on charges of supplying methamphetamine and possessing the Class-A drug for supply.
Police were monitoring Nansen’s phone calls and movements, which
led Operation Ceviche to two others allegedly running their own “mini drug supply networks” — the hairdresser, and fashion designer Christopher Lay.
The 41-year-old Lay has pleaded not guilty to 15 charges of supplying cocaine, two of possessing cocaine for supply and one of offering to supply cocaine.
The hairdresser also pleaded not guilty to 17 Class-A drug charges, including possession of cocaine and methamphetamine for supply.
Benjamin Alexander McLellan, a 35-year-old manager, is facing five charges of supplying cocaine and one of possessing methamphetamine.
Samuel James Montgomery, a 30-year-old clothing distributor, is facing one charge of possessing cocaine, one of offering to supply GHB and one of supplying cocaine. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Three others — a DJ, a film production assistant and a forklift operator — have interim name suppression and also denied the Class-A drug charges.
In a press release at the time of the arrests, Detective Senior Sergeant Lloyd Schmid said the cocaine was a significant find.
“Cocaine is usually picked up in much smaller amounts, so [the] find is indicative of people who have been heavily involved in persistent, premeditated, career drug dealing.”
In total, the police seized almost 760g of cocaine with a street value of more than $300,000.
“These offenders were creating some fairly identifiable cocaine. The drug was being mixed with another substance and moulded into ounce-sized bricks with a hand-made wooden press,” said Schmid.
“These people who’ve been living beyond their means by selling drugs to others, and despite some attempts to conceal their offending, they’ve now been fully exposed.”