Crown seeks forfeiture of seized boats and cash from meth bust

Two boats were seized during the biggest methamphetamine bust in the Far North last year. Photo / Supplied

Two boats and cash seized by police during the largest methamphetamine bust in the country could be forfeited to the Crown.

Six Auckland men were charged over the seizure of 448kg of meth from the back of a campervan and a further 46kg from bags buried in sand dunes on Ninety Mile Beach on June 19 last year.

Two have already been sentenced to lengthy prison terms and the rest pleaded not guilty and elected a jury trial.

The Crown has applied under the Proceeds of Crimes Act to the High Court in Whangarei for the boats and cash to be forfeited.

Their values are not known.

The forfeiture matter was first called in court on July 20 and Justice Kit Toogood put a restraining order on them until September 14.

Crown lawyer Bernadette O'Connor asked the court for one to two weeks so the six men could talk to their lawyers.

The next callover will be on August 17.

Ulakai Fakaosilea, 26, Jermiah Iusitini, 27, and Stevie Cullen, 34, and another person who has name suppression will go on trial sometime next year.

Amoki Matoto Fonua was jailed for 22 years and Ka Yip Wan for 23 years last month for their roles in the importation.

The drugs are worth $494 million and outstripped the 334kg of meth seized in New Zealand in 2015.

Observant locals called police after noticing the occupants of several vehicles acting suspiciously in the area for a fortnight, and trying to launch boats off the west coast.

Police found a boat abandoned on Ninety Mile Beach, and a number of mesh bags on board.

They began searching for a Toyota Prado and a rental campervan, as the occupants had
been seen trying to launch boats in the area.

Members of the public told police that the men driving the campervan and the Toyota had been offering large amounts of cash in exchange for help to launch the boats.