Gail Almond and Scott Meikle went to trial with four others but during the hearing pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis and having plants for the purpose of sale in their possession.
Court reports at the time show they were arrested after police mounted a surveillance operation at Oponae on March 24, 1999, following a tip-off.
The farm under observation was close to a Carter Holt Harvey forest and two constables kept watch for several days from the adjoining forestry land.
The officers noted in a logbook various comings and goings on four-wheel-drive farm motorbikes and other vehicles. At times, those being watched swapped town clothes for camouflage gear and carried various packages.
There were two huts on the farm property and a gas heater and gas bottles were seen being transported to the top hut, called the Taj.
After three days, the two constables moved to a higher position to observe the top hut.
They saw Meikle emerge with a rifle and walk towards one of the constables. Concerned that he would be discovered, and 35km from back-up in the nearest town, the constable made himself known and arrested Meikle.
The two officers then tied Meikle up and went to search the hut. They found more than 11kg of cannabis material, most of it being dried.
It is unclear what sentence the couple received but former Justice Minister Phil Goff revealed in Parliament in March 2003 that Gail Almond forfeited 145.9 hectare of bare land in Waioeka Gorge, Oponae, on August 2, 2001, under the Proceeds of Crime Act, 1991.
When asked whether there was a drugs link to the deaths, the officer in charge of the case, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper, said: "Drugs do not appear to have been a factor in what occurred."
The Pukehina house where the pair were found dead on Sunday afternoon is nestled away in farmland between the main highway and coastline at the idyllic holiday spot.
The peaceful location has been transformed into a crime scene as Auckland-based ESR forensic scientists in boiler suits yesterday combed the home for clues while police stood guard at the roadside cordon.
They are expected to remain there until at least the end of today.
Police cars blocked the home's driveway, which is shared with five other houses.
Mr Loper said post-mortem examinations were to be conducted this morning in Auckland after the bodies were removed late yesterday.
It was yesterday reported that the case was believed to be a murder-suicide but police refused to confirm this. They also would not answer a number of other questions put to them by the Bay of Plenty Times - including whether there were children inside the house at the time and who alerted police.
Mr Meikle was an area consultant for Fibre Fresh, a producer of advanced fibre nutrition for horses and calves.
Dougal Scott, Fibre Fresh area consultant for neighbouring South Waikato East, said he was dumbfounded to hear of what happened to his workmate.
"He was a really good, kind-hearted man. He was pretty laid-back. I'm just pretty shocked really," Mr Scott said.
When asked about the apparent murder-suicide, he replied: "By the sound of it you would never have thought that in a million years. I have never seen him angry, never seen him depressed or anything."
Mr Scott has known Mr Meikle for about five years when they both started at Fibre Fresh. The two would regularly work together and speak at least two to three times a week.
"I would say it has been a big shock to everybody," Mr Scott said.
Pukehina man Rex Cameron said the tragedy was at odds with his "paradise".
Pukehina Beach is famed for its blissful coastline and booms from a population of 250 residents up to 7000 people over summer.
"This is where you get a few problems - with burglaries and that," Mr Cameron said.
Apart from holiday home burglaries, Pukehina township remained fairly low key. The murder-suicide has come as a huge shock to the community, Mr Cameron said.
Mr Cameron runs the local night patrols and has been busy fielding calls from people wanting to know more.
"Everybody thinks that I know everything. We have had phone calls from everywhere."
Mr Cameron said the community was anxious after seeing so many emergency service vehicles.
Mr Cameron said he was familiar with the Meikles, who ran a shop in the area.
"I guess it's just one of those unfortunate things that happens.
"It's [normally] a lovely place."
Doug Mack, who owns the Pukehina Beach Store, said everyone who had been through his doors yesterday was anxious to know what had happened.
"No one really knows a lot, they just know two people have been killed. Everyone's really shocked."
