Police removing Honey Bear beer cans and loading pallets into a hire truck at a commercial premises. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Police removing Honey Bear beer cans and loading pallets into a hire truck at a commercial premises. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Multiple Auckland properties worth millions have been frozen by police as part of the investigation into the deadly Honey Bear methamphetamine-laced beer.
Four properties valued at approximately $36 million have been restrained following a two-year investigation connected to New Zealand’s largest ever methamphetamine bust that killed a person who unwittinglydrank drug-laced beer.
The Commissioner of Police initiated civil proceedings against five people and one company connected to Operation Lavender last week.
Financial Crime Group Detective Inspector Chris Allans said the investigation after Sagala’s death led to the discovery of a clandestine laboratory and hundreds of kilos of stockpiled methamphetamine imports.
Aiden Sagala of Auckland died after drinking beer contaminated with methamphetamine. Photo / Supplied.
“Through extensive financial investigation and analysis, our team has now restrained an estimated $36 million in real estate property alleged to be connected with the importation and supply of methamphetamine.
“These properties are a mix of residential and commercial rural properties across the Whitford, Totora Heights, Karaka and Bombay areas.”
Allan said police have been quietly focused on unpicking the financial activities of this group.
“This restraint represents significant capital that otherwise would have been at the disposal of the group to carry out further drug imports and create further harm in the community, until now.
“This is a substantial restraint in terms of value but also work and I would like to acknowledge everyone from Financial Crime Group, Auckland City District Police, National Clan Lab Response Team, NZ Customs, and the financial sector who have spent time piecing this together.
Auckland City Police initiated Operation Lavender to investigate the tragic death of Sagala and the wider shipment of methamphetamine, which had been imported from Canada.
Himatjit ‘Jimmy’ Kahlon who was sentenced for manslaughter in the high court today for the meth beer importation case. Photo / Supplied
Ultimately, the investigation seized more than 700 kilograms of methamphetamine, the largest ever single seizure of methamphetamine in this country.
Another man who has permanent name suppression was sentenced to 22 years’ imprisonment for multiple drug offences, including possession for supply of methamphetamine and importing methamphetamine.
A spokesperson said as the matter was before the Court, police were limited in providing further comment.
Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021 as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.
