A 36-year-old Ahipara man has pleaded guilty to offering to supply methamphetamine, offering to sell cannabis and to supply magic mushrooms.
Eugene Poinga Biddle appeared before Judge Greg Davis in the Kaitaia District Court where he was remanded, on continued bail (in Auckland), to appear in the District Court at Whangarei on December 15 for sentencing.
The first two charges were representative (relating to more than one offence).
According to the summary of facts, police became aware that Biddle was involved in selling drugs in July last year.
Data obtained via Vodafone from his cellphone revealed more than 2000 text messages had been sent or received between June 1 and August 18, 2014.
In terms of the methamphetamine charge, Biddle had been in contact with at least seven customers who had been identified by the police.
He had regularly received text messages, using a number of code names (including oysters and mullet), asking if he had methamphetamine. Biddle would reply, asking what quantities were required then agreeing to supply the drug.
Other data revealed that he had offered to sell cannabis in quantities ranging from $20 "tinnies" to ounces. At least eight customers were identified, along with 16 offers to sell cannabis.
One message related to an offer to sell magic mushrooms (psilocybin), Biddle texting: 'Do thy want the mush thr bout 40 left cn hav for hundy ($100) thy r mean u no thy r.' He received a reply stating: 'We got my mate stop at Keri before he come up ... prob take mush if u still got yo ... Pinky wants Sme shrooms if u still have.'
Biddle admitted to police that he had been dealing cannabis but claimed that the mushrooms were for eating, and that the other text messages related to the sale of mullet and oysters.