Charges now include money laundering

Money laundering charges have been added to the list facing an alleged Taranaki drug dealer after police seized a record amount of methamphetamine in December.

Logan Reece Maxwell appeared before Lyn Harrison in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday facing two charges of possession of methamphetamine for supply, three of supplying the Class A drug and two of money laundering.

Maxwell has been in custody since his arrest on December 6 and had previously consented to spending Christmas behind bars.

Defence lawyer Kylie Pascoe said Maxwell consented to a further remand in custody until February 11, when a bail application would be made.

Pascoe said no pleas to the charges would be entered.

Harrison granted the remand in custody and said Maxwell would be expected to plead to the charges at his next appearance.

The

39-year-old was arrested after a lengthy police investigation dubbed

Operation

Taxi, which targeted the sale and supply of methamphetamine.

In a raid on a Stratford address in December, police recovered 450 grams of methamphetamine, the largest haul of the drug ever discovered in the region, $350,000 in cash and seized a Toyota motor vehicle. Three arrests were made following the bust.

A 40-year-old man will appear in the Ha¯wera District Court on Friday facing charges of possession of methamphetamine for supply and supplying the drug, while a 70-year-old woman facing a charge of allowing premises to be used for the supply of methamphetamine is due to appear on January 28.

Maxwell has been in custody since his arrest on December 6.