Drugs, guns and money seized
A young drug dealer has lost more than $190,000 he made from selling synthetic drugs in the Porirua area, including via Facebook.
Some of Peter Jordan Robinson’s customers paid electronically, referencing Robinson’s Facebook page, or deposited the cash directly to his account, police said.
Sometimes three or four deposits of $1000 were made within minutes of each other, according to a police summary of the case against the 23-year-old Robinson.
Police say synthetic drugs are ‘‘extremely’’ dangerous and lead to many hospital admissions, and even death.
But through his lawyer, Robinson maintained none of his drugs caused any ‘‘medical misadventure’’, although he had heard of cases where people had been saved by ambulance officers.
Robinson’s family said that some of the money police swooped on was theirs, and they would have preferred Wellington Free Ambulance received the money. However that was not done, for legal reasons.
Robinson snapped his cellphone when he saw police arrive to raid one of the Porirua homes linked to his operation in September 2017.
Police found $193,540.30 in cash, along with a money counter.
Police believed Robinson had made $356,425.50 illegally and the $193,000 forfeited was the profit between January 2014 and September 2017, according to a statement sworn for the High Court in Wellington.
When he was charged Robinson was receiving a job seeker benefit.
Police seized more than 2kg of synthetic drugs, as well as cannabis, $193,000 cash, and five firearms, from three Porirua houses.
The High Court has ordered that the money will go to the Crown.
Robinson unsuccessfully tried to get a reduction of his jail term to take account of the money he lost and the fact he did not fight its forfeiture.
He was sentenced in July 2018 to two years and six months’ jail after pleading guilty to drug possession and supply charges, and firearms charges.
Robinson was refused parole on first consideration, and will next go before the Parole Board in September 2019.
Robinson, also known as James Lopa, had a Ruger .22 calibre rifle
and two loaded 25-shot magazines, a 303 rifle, a pump action shotgun with a pistol grip, a 12 gauge semi–automatic shotgun, and a sawn-off .22 calibre shotgun.
Hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found, including 48 hollow point bullets for the .22 rifle.
Customs had intercepted parcels of drugs, addressed to fictitious names, at the houses Robinson used.
The drugs Robinson was peddling included psychoactive substances – most commonly synthetic cannabinoids where psychoactive chemicals were sprayed on to plant matter before it was smoked, or blotter paper soaked with chemicals before it was consumed.
An officer from the police central assets recovery unit in charge of recovering the proceeds of crime said Robinson had exploited vulnerable people and exposed them to harm for his own personal greed and financial gain.
Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Murray said the Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act had been used to ensure Robinson did not profit from his crimes.
‘‘He has been held to account, both criminally and financially, for his offending,’’ Murray said.
But it was also a community issue because each day people using psychoactive substances needed medical help, sometimes hospitalisation.
‘‘We need the support of the community to say that the presence of these extremely dangerous drugs is not okay, and to ensure people do not financially benefit from exposing people to such drugs that can result in death,’’ Murray said.
He encouraged people to tell police about drug suppliers, especially psychohactive drugs, to stop suppliers profiting at the expense of others, and to reduce the availability of the drugs.
He wanted to spread the word about how harmful and addictive the drugs were.
Murray urged people to stop using synthetic drugs, contact their GP or the Alcohol and Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797.