$50m meth accused named
A Christchurch bodybuilder and his friend have been charged with a $50 million methamphetamine importation from Mexico.
Michael Harrison-Cooper, 31, and Johnathon Seal, 25, were arrested last week as part of a police and customs Operation Grandeur investigation.
Name suppression for the pair, who are charged with the biggest meth importation yet in the South Island, lapsed yesterday.
Harrison-Cooper has competed in several bodybuilding competitions, finishing fifth in his class at the NZ International Pro-Am Championships in Auckland in March.
A friend, who did not wish to be named, said Harrison-Cooper was a ‘‘nice, really polite guy’’.
The pair are in custody charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply and importing it.
Police and customs allege 40 packages of 1kg to 1.2kg were brought into Christchurch, concealed within a safety lights shipment.
It was the largest meth seizure in South Island history and could have fed Christchurch users for nearly a year, police said.
The pair had the first two videolink appearances at the new justice and emergency service precinct, which opened for District Court business.
Counsel for Harrison-Cooper, Pip Hall QC, asked for the case to be adjourned to December 4 for another appearance by video link from the prison. An application for Harrison-Cooper’s release on electronically monitored bail might be made at his next appearances.
Seal, who also faces unrelated charges of wilful damage and injuring with intent to injure, was remanded to the same session. Defence counsel Steve Hembrow said an electronic bail application may be made at the next appearance and pleas would be entered.
Christchurch District Court Judge David Saunders agreed name suppression could lapse immediately, but suppressed the name of the business to which drugs were allegedly sent.
Detective Inspector Greg Murton said last week police estimated about 1kg of meth was used in Christchurch each week.