Northland woman charged with arranging meth deals via text

A Far North woman is awaiting sentencing for offering to supply methamphetamine through texts on her cellphone. Photo / File

A woman has been remanded on bail, without plea, when she appeared before Judge Greg Davis in the Kaitaia District Court on six counts of offering to supply methamphetamine.

Lisa Margaret Harris, aged 49, will appear again on March 13.

The charges were laid after police examined a cellphone and identified a number of text message conversations that they said implicated the defendant in the supply of the drug between March and November last year. One of those messages stated: "my m8 jus cumn 2me sum more coin he gt... he wnts a watch." The reply was: "They are 5... Halfs 3," the original texter replying, "Yeh that's ok."

According to the police, "watch" was slang for a gram of methamphetamine, while "half" referred to half a gram. The texter had been offered a gram of the drug for $500, or half a gram for $300.

Harris had told police that they had been talking about watches.

The second charge followed an exchange on March 5: "Are u around town please." "just left but wat u after I can cum bak." "Wanting a half please... I got 250 for shopping." "ill cum bak for a whole try rake up some coin."

She told police that "If it was me, I would have been putting someone in touch with another person to buy methamphetamine."

An exchange on March 12 used the term mutton, which the police said was slang for a gram of methamphetamine: "Can you do a delivery to town please?" "hi just going to get ... can do later." "OK. can u message me when u can please. I'm wanting a whole mutton please. two whole mutton please."

Harris told police, "We were talking about mutton."

On September 13 the seized phone sent a message to another number: "II meet you at turn off... wat size." The recipient replied, "At the bridge? Leaving town in 5 q please," the seized phone replying, "Meet you in taipa."

Harris told police, "It was my niece I think. I took her somewhere to get meth."

On September 17 the phone received a text: "Hey chers for ya help lastne was wonder if thea was nethin diff about? I ben buildn allday." "I gt a small different one other wise it's same as last nite." "wats small lol worth the drive or nar?" "150." "Oh yea I b kean."

Police interpreted that conversation as offering to a supply a quarter of a gram of methamphetamine for $150.

The final charge related to a text conversation on November 4: "Gt sum nice ones 450 each if you keen I'm in paihea." "Any swops Aunt's no coin till later." The seized phone replied, "Wat you gt it's not mine," the recipient replying, "Seafood, meat. Some brand new kicks outta rebels lol."

The police claimed that exchange was an offer to supply one gram of meth for $450, while the defendant said it had been about an ounce of "weed".