Meth dealer jailed for 19 years

A 47-year-old unemployed Whangape man has been jailed for 19 years for his part in a major methamphetamine operation that was put out of business by police in 2012.

Frank William Murray was sentenced in the High Court at Auckland earlier this week on 18 drug-related convictions, including multiple counts of manufacturing and supplying methamphetamine.

Detective Sergeant John Sowter, from the Organised Financial Crime Agency of New Zealand (OFCANZ), said Murray had been part of a network of manufacturers and suppliers whose tentacles stretched across the North Island.

"This operation [Enzone] was triggered by intelligence gathered by Eastern District staff in Napier in July 2012," Sergeant Sowter said.

"Over the next four months police and Customs launched multiple operations targeting the manufacturing and supply of methamphetamine, GHB [fantasy] and precursor chemicals. These investigations uncovered a number of supply and manufacturing operations in Northland, Auckland, Hawke's Bay and Wellington.

"It was clear from our investigations that this organised criminal group was also making extensive efforts to launder the money they were generating. We uncovered numerous purchases of motor vehicles, tractors, diggers, farm equipment, boats and building supplies valued at over $250,000." (Police found $100,000 buried in a farm paddock at Whangape).

"Sixteen people were eventually arrested following the termination of Operation Enzone in November 2012."

Three of those arrested were from Whangape. Colin McKendrick Murray (then aged 59) subsequently died, while Betty Anne Lloyd is serving a term of home detention. Frank Murray was actually arrested in October, after what Detective Sergeant Mark Robertson (Kaitaia) described as a routine traffic stop on SH1 at Umawera, police finding "virtually an entire meth lab" in the vehicle. Meanwhile Detective Sergeant Sowter described Operation Enzone and its parallel investigations as a great example of police and Customs working together to protect the New Zealand public from organised criminal groups, he added.

"The success of this investigation sends a clear message to the entire criminal community that police and our partner agencies are working together to target organised criminal groups who are harming our community," he said.

"Police are pleased to see such a significant sentence that came after a great deal of hard work, and that sends a strong message to those contemplating this type of offending."