Agent in meth case
Paihia woman ‘vehemently denies’ using coded real-estate terms to organise buying P from drugs kingpin
An estate agent charged with dealing meth used coded language about “contracts” and “sale and purchase agreements” to discuss buying the Class-A drug from her supplier, then perjured herself in an affidavit, police allege.
Paihia agent Tonya Maree Spicer and husband Paul Anthony Spicer are jointly charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply.
Police say the couple sourced the P from a drugs kingpin and former Auckland real estate agent who has since admitted his offending. Tonya also faces a perjury charge. The couple went on trial yesterday before Judge Rob Ronayne in the Auckland District Court but “vehemently deny” the charges.
Their lawyer says drug squad officers covertly listening in to intercepted communications simply “misinterpreted” innocent conversations about money owed to them and the sale of a bach.
“There was no drugs speak,” defence lawyer Ron Mansfield told the court. “The New Zealand police have on this occasion misinterpreted the relevant communications.”
A jury heard the Spicers came to police attention when phone conversations between them and a “high-end” meth dealer — former North Shore Ray White agent Brett Campbell Bogue — were intercepted during a major drugs operation in 2012 code-named Operation Enzone.
The investigation culminated in 14 arrests after search warrants were executed simultaneously around the upper North Island by 150 police officers in November 2012.
Bogue eventually pleaded guilty to
The New Zealand police have on this occasion misinterpreted the relevant communications. Ron Mansfield, defence lawyer
serious drug-dealing offences.
In a 2012 affidavit filed in support of Bogue for a disputed facts hearing in the High Court at Auckland, Tonya stated she had never received meth from Bogue, the jury heard yesterday.
“The Crown’s case is that was false,” crown prosecutor Brett Tantrum told the jury. “She lied, therefore there’s a charge of perjury.”
Tantrum said the Spicers had a “common goal” to secure drugs from Bogue, some of which was then supplied to others. He told the court transcripts of recorded conversations between the Spicers and Bogue showed they talked in code about drug deals, often using real-estate terms to cover their tracks. “They didn’t actually say what they meant.”
In intercepted conversations, the Spicers discussed “real-estate contracts” and “viewings” with Bogue, who used at least seven cellphones.
“They were pretty desperate for some more meth,” Tantrum said.
“They were urging Brett Bogue to supply something because they were expecting clients. Indeed the Spicers were regular drug clients of [his].”
The court heard of an alleged drug deal on or about October 6, 2012, between the trio, in which an unknown quantity of meth was delivered to the Spicers’ Paihia property by an associate after a “drought”.
The trio exchanged numerous text messages and phone calls in the days before the alleged deal, with Tonya texting Bogue: “Hey darling what’s happening, mama want and need!”
Bogue responded: “I could meet you halfway if you want the original sales and purchase agreement.”
Tonya later texted: “Those people gone cold . . . we hanging out to get something on paper.”
On October 4 she wrote: “Can you please make sure those contracts are in an envelope and no disclosure! X can’t wait to be able to present them.”
Two days later the drugs were delivered, according to police.
But Mansfield said the communications were simply innocuous references to real-estate transactions.
The Spicers had known Bogue for years, worked together and become friends. Bogue owed the Spicers money and they had no idea he was dealing drugs.
The trial continues.