KEY POINTS:
A south Auckland "Dial a Tinnie" business that was allegedly bringing in up to $1000 a day had so many clients - including uniformed school children - that it sometimes ran out of cannabis.
Details have emerged this week of how the business supplied hundreds of people from
all walks of life after they text-messaged their requests to drivers who would then deliver the tinnies to an arranged location.
The network allegedly operated for years but was busted late last year after members were caught selling cannabis to undercover police officers during Operation Snapper.
At a depositions hearing in the Papakura District Court this week, several of the group's drivers pleaded guilty to selling cannabis.
The other half of the group - several of whom are considered to be the main players - were committed to the High Court for trial after pleading not guilty but conceding there was a prima facie case to answer.
The six accused going to trial are jointly charged with participating in an organised criminal group, conspiring to supply cannabis, possession of cannabis for supply, selling cannabis to persons under and over the age of 18, and selling cannabis to a police constable.
Police say "Dial a Tinnie" was a well-organised and profitable scheme which operated seven days a week. Its customer base was so large the accused were not always able to keep up with the demand and would have to send text messages back to clients advising they were out of stock.
Based on cellphone records, police say the business was bringing in a daily average of $955 in earned sales. It missed out on an average of $213 a day when it couldn't keep up with the demand.
The cannabis was allegedly sourced by 41-year-old Papakura man William Hunia Kahika, his partner Carmen Uerata and his brother Tyrone Kahika. They have denied the charges.
Sometimes they had the help of Kahika's son, William Hohepa Kahika, who also pleaded not guilty, and another man, Phillip Kirby. Kirby this week pleaded guilty to being part of an organised criminal group and selling cannabis.
Police say the accused stored and prepared the tinnies from their homes and industrial units in Papakura.
Kahika and Uerata would then allegedly supply drivers with mobile phones and cars before giving them the tinnies to make their deliveries.
Customers would telephone or text their request - often using code words like fish, snappa and hangi to refer to the tinnies - and the drivers would meet them at an arranged location to complete the sale.
The business ran from the early hours of the morning to late at night and deliveries were made from Drury through to Manukau.
One of the accused, Kiri Herewini, who had pleaded not guilty, told police in a statement read out in court this week that those deliveries occurred at various locations.
"KFC, Burger King, Mobil, the court house, private houses, Manukau movies, everywhere except the house of the person buying."
Police say those locations also included outside several high schools and the Papakura Skate Board Park. They also say the sales were made to people of all ages, including children under the age of 18 who were often in school uniform.
One of the accused told police she made about $400 to $500 a week selling tinnies and she regularly sold cannabis to up to three school children in uniform a day.
Herewini said in his statement he also got "paid weed, three tinnies for every delivery" but smoked more than he onsold.
He was aware it was illegal to sell cannabis but was trying to provide for his family after his wife was institutionalised.
"Things were tight for me, that is why I went this way. I tried to better me and my five kids. I know selling cannabis was not the way to go about it, now I have jeopardised my family."
One of the female drivers said she did the work to make money in order to recover a repossessed car.
A date is yet to be set for the trial, but those who have pleaded guilty will be sentenced in August.
Guilty pleas
* Ariana Capewell, 20, machine operator; Hollie Korau, 20, shop assistant; Elvis Uerata, 21, factory hand; Debbie Wilson, 20, factory hand; all pleaded guilty to selling cannabis to persons over 18 and selling cannabis to a police constable.
* Shirley Kahika, 22, glasshouse worker, pleaded guilty to selling cannabis to persons over 18, selling cannabis to under 18 and selling cannabis to a police constable.
* Phillip Kirby, 30, unemployed, pleaded guilty to selling cannabis to person over 18, selling cannabis to a police constable and participating in an organised criminal group.
