By BRIDGET CARTER
He drives a blue cadillac and once made a man who crossed him dig his own grave.
He's been a long-time gangster in Auckland who's never been caught for drug dealing. Until now.
Reuben "Ruby" Panaho has been known to the police for almost 30 years, but it was only
yesterday they managed to pin a conviction for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine on him.
A jury found him guilty in the Auckland District Court yesterday in part of a four week drug trial involving some of Auckland's top criminal underworld figures.
His conviction comes with the news he has major health problems, and may not have long to live.
The officer in charge of the case, Detective Sergeant Darryl Brazier, said police had always know that Panaho was heavily involved in the Auckland drug scene.
Panaho was arrested after a lengthy police operation two years ago in which police bugged cellphones, unearthing some of the biggest players in the city's drug scene.
Arrested with him were high-flying drug dealer and Hells Angels associate Tony Jacomb, whose partner is a former runner up in the Miss New Zealand beauty contest.
Others arrested include Dwayne Allan Marsh, a patched member of the Head Hunters gang, Robert Malcolm Shedden, who now on the run from police, Jacomb's associate Kelly Hutchings and professional boxer Lindsay Shane Christiansen.
Police learned that Panaho and Jacomb were in regular contact and discovered Panaho was a major source of precursor substances to the manufacture of illegal drugs.
They believed Panaho had supplied Jacomb with 100 boxes of pre-cursor tablets and was a "significant contributor" to the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Panaho, 43, is the second oldest of the group, and has the longest criminal history.
He joined the Head Hunters in the 70s - shortly after the game was first formed.
Police say he represents the old-school New Zealand gang member. He is very large, Maori, has a mullet haircut, wears trackpants, jandals and a sweatshirt to court and is heavily tattooed.
He once appeared in an overseas magazine, revealing tattoos that covered his thighs.
Mr Brazier said Panaho's job during his gang days was debt collector. He would take money from criminals and keep his cut in what is called "taxing".
Various times, he has abused and threatened police, and as he got older, police say he had become more aggressive - probably because of his health problems.
In May 2000 police investigated an allegation that a man who had crossed the Headhunters had been thrown into the boot of his blue cadillac and was made to dig his own grave. The man got away, and police gathered evidence against Panaho but charges were never laid.
His name had been mentioned in other criminal cases over the years.
"You have to remember this is a guy people are never going to make a complaint against," Mr Brazier said.
Panaho left the Head Hunters gang in 2000, and has since been living on Waiheke Island after spending years living in the gang's territory of west Auckland.
"He has always been regarded as someone you wouldn't want to cross."
By BRIDGET CARTER
He drives a blue cadillac and once made a man who crossed him dig his own grave.
He's been a long-time gangster in Auckland who's never been caught for drug dealing. Until now.
Reuben "Ruby" Panaho has been known to the police for almost 30 years, but it was only
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