September 18, 2012

Five found guilty in Operation Granite drugs trial

By David Clarkson

All five accused have been found guilty of drug offences at the end of the month-long Operation Granite trial in the High Court at Christchurch but two have been acquitted on conspiracy charges.

A third man ? Clarkville farmer John Douglas McKenzie ? was convicted of conspiracy to manufacture the class A drug methamphetamine but will still seek a discharge before the sentencing. The Crown case was that he had provided finance for the drug venture.

Justice Christian Whata set the sentencings for November 1 with three of the men remanded in custody.

On the 23rd day of a trial the judge described as ?difficult and complex?, the jury took about six hours to decide the 29 verdicts on 25 charges in the Crown?s indictment. It had to return five separate verdicts on the charge that the men were part of a conspiracy.

The accused were arrested in the June 2010 drugs swoop on 13 properties in Christchurch, Lyttelton, and Ashburton. The police raids came at the end of a six-week police surveillance and interception operation.

The Crown alleged that Matthew Allen Newton, an unemployed 29-year-old, was at the centre of the drugs ring and the jury today convicted him on all charges. He was found guilty of conspiracy to manufacture and supply methamphetamine, manufacturing the drug, possession of drugs for sale and supply, possession of chemicals and equipment to make drugs, and possession of a pistol and ammunition.

Adam John Miles, a 40-year-old labourer, was found not guilty of the drugs conspiracy, but guilty of manufacturing methamphetamine and possession of the necessary chemicals and equipment. The Crown said he was one of the ?cooks? making drugs for the methamphetamine ring.

Michael Leslie Smith, a 36-year-old mechanic, also said to be a drugs cook, was found not guilty of the drugs conspiracy, but guilty of manufacturing the drug, possession of chemicals and equipment, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

He also pleaded guilty to one firearms charge during the trial, but denied other charges saying that he had the weapons because he was a keen hunter. The jury found him not guilty on five Arms Act charges.

The Crown alleged Rongjun Situ, a 36-year-old Chinese-born man, was a ?broker? who provided the chemical pseudo-ephedrine for the methamphetamine manufacturing, and the jury found him guilty of the drugs conspiracy.

McKenzie was charged only with the drugs conspiracy on which he was found guilty, but Justice Whata did not enter a conviction and will hear the argument for a discharge.

McKenzie and Situ were remanded on bail. Newton, Smith, and Miles will remain in custody for the sentencing.

Phil Shamy, Barnaby Hawes, and Nicola Robson appeared for the Crown. Paul McMenamin appeared as defence counsel for Newton, Mark Callaghan for Situ, Jonathan Eaton for McKenzie, Margaret Sewell for Smith, and Rupert Glover for Miles.