Taranaki man found with record meth haul cites Bali bombings as reason for drug offending

A man who suffered burns as he was blown across a dancefloor amid the Bali bombings claims the psychological scars from the terrorist attack contributed to his eventual dealing of meth in record amounts.

Around $350,000 in cash and 443 grams of methamphetamine were found by police following an operation targeting Logan Reece Maxwell of Taranaki.

At the time of the 2020 bust, it was the largest haul of the drug ever discovered in the region.

Then 39, Maxwell was unemployed, living with his mother, Margaret Jean O’Brien, and dealing the Class A drug from her Stratford home, which he would refer to as “the shop”.

Maxwell had Steven George Rowe play the role of shopkeeper when he was away from the address, and O’Brien would often phone her son to let him know when “customers” had arrived.

On December 6, 2020, Maxwell was driving through Inglewood when he was stopped by police. A search of his vehicle turned up two socks hidden under a panel in the boot.

Each sock contained four large bags of meth with each weighing approximately 50.5g, a total of 443g.

During the investigation, police discovered two security deposit boxes under the name of Maxwell and O’Brien, who operated a taxi business, containing the $350,000 in Auckland.

The funds in O’Brien’s deposit box had been deposited by Maxwell.

Police discovered 443g of methamphetamine in the boot of Maxwell's vehicle. Photo / NZ Police

O’Brien, who had her licence to carry passengers suspended following her arrest, was recently sentenced to home detention for allowing her premises to be used for the supply of meth. Rowe was also placed on home detention after he pleaded guilty to supplying the Class A drug.

On Friday, Maxwell, now 41, appeared in New Plymouth District Court for sentencing on a representative charge of supplying the drug, and one count of possession for supply.

The outcomes sought by Crown prosecutor Holly Bullock and defence lawyer Julian Hannam differed hugely.

Hannam argued for an end sentence of 14 months’ imprisonment, allowing for the consideration of home detention, while Bullock submitted Maxwell should be jailed for at least nine years.

Maxwell wasn’t a “hardcore” drug offender who was able to think clearly and “be in control of his own destiny”, Hannam submitted.

“He has come into this world as a damaged person and progressed through it, becoming even more damaged as a result of addiction.”

Hannam argued that while Maxwell’s role was in the “upper end” of the operation, he was “not completely” in charge.

Maxwell had been on bail in the lead-up to his sentencing, during which he attended rehab.

Police discovered $350,000 during its investigation of the drug dealer. Photo / NZ Police

Hannam implored the court to impose an electronically monitored sentence and allow his client to continue with his rehabilitation efforts.

“It’s an absolute crossroads that we’re at today.”

Bullock submitted Maxwell was the “frontman” of the operation, which she described as significant given the amount of meth and cash that was discovered.

He had influence over others and benefited financially from the enterprise, she said.

Bullock submitted any credit given for Maxwell’s addiction and background factors should be tempered against the severity of his offending.

Judge Tony Greig said he had been given three reports to consider in relation to Maxwell.

A probation report said Maxwell accepted responsibility for his offending and showed remorse. It also detailed his struggle to break free from his addiction to meth.

Another report gave a tentative diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.

A cultural report set out the trauma Maxwell had experienced in his childhood, and how in later years he was in Bali during the 2002 bombings, which killed 204 people and injured 209.

Judge Greig said the attack had been a significant event in Maxwell’s life.

“You told the report writer that you were in one of the bars that were bombed and you got blown across the dancefloor.

“You received burns from which you apparently still have scars, but the psychological scars will have burned much deeper.”

Paradoxically, Maxwell’s happiest years came immediately after the bombing as he met a woman, began attending church and bought a property, the judge said, referencing the report.

But Maxwell suffered post-traumatic stress disorder from the bombing, and he said that eventually led him back to drugs, alcohol and crime.

While Judge Greig accepted Maxwell’s life had been affected by traumatic events and a tough childhood, he did not accept the 2020 offending was caused by Maxwell’s addiction.

He said Maxwell had learned to manipulate report writers, his family and previous judges.

Judge Greig provided examples of the deceit, including how Maxwell had previously lied in an effort to get electronically monitored bail at a rehab facility.

He was also serving a sentence of community detention for possessing meth when he was caught with the 443g of the drug in his boot.

In order to have that sentence relaxed, Maxwell said he had to go to Auckland to see his lawyer in relation to Family Court matters. It was while he was there that he purchased the meth.

“That’s the challenge you present, Mr Maxwell. How much of a myth around your offending have you been able to weave into the true parts of your life?”

Judge Greig said profit was causative of his offending, not addiction, and rejected that he was remorseful.

He also said Maxwell’s attendance at the rehab facility was a sham.

From a start point of 11 years’ imprisonment, Judge Greig gave credit of 46 months for guilty pleas, time spent on bail and background factors before jailing Maxwell for seven years and two months.