Convicted BZP importer jailed

File photo / Brett Phibbs

The second New Zealander to be convicted of importing BZP has been jailed for two years and two months.

Neil Urlich has been sentenced in the High Court at Palmerston North, where the court heard he successfully imported three kilograms of BZP from China before a further 6kg was intercepted by customs at Auckland International Airport last year.

The Crown said Urlich imported for commercial reasons but he told the court he gave it to friends for free, most of whom were methamphetamine users. Urlich admitted importing the drug over a five-month period last year.

BZP, which is the main ingredient in many party pills, was outlawed in 2008.

- Newstalk ZB