Long prison term for dealer

Matthew Frewer was filmed by a security camera in a bank safety deposit vault with a box of drug money. Photo / Supplied

A leading member of a multimillion-dollar drug syndicate run from London that smuggled Ecstasy pills inside Harrods gift baskets has helped a drug addict turn his life around.

Matthew Frewer, a 38-year-old Englishman, was yesterday sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison after pleading guilty to three charges of supplying MDMA, a class-B drug.

Crown prosecutor Mina Wharepouri described Frewer as the "managing director" of the New Zealand end of the British-controlled drug ring, busted in July 2008.

Tablets were hidden inside gift baskets from Harrods, the famous London department store, and posted to Auckland addresses rented under false names.

The tablets were then delivered to Frewer, who arranged to distribute the Ecstasy to dealers in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

In one transaction, he sold 10,000 tablets for $220,000.

Mr Wharepouri said Frewer was a crucial member of the sophisticated syndicate and his offending was "close to the worst of its kind".

"Without him, the drug ring could not have run here in New Zealand."

The drug-smuggling operation made millions of dollars. But defence lawyer Ron Mansfield said his client was paid modestly and did not receive a share of the profits, which went back to the UK.

In his sentencing submissions, Mr Mansfield said Frewer was truly remorseful and showed real insight into his crimes.

He said that while in custody after his arrest in 2008, Frewer met a fellow prisoner who was a drug addict.

Frewer had a "major impact" on helping the man overcome his addiction and turn his life around.

The unnamed man wrote a letter to Justice Geoffrey Venning and appeared in court to support his friend.

Justice Venning acknowledged the letter and a DVD he received from Frewer's parents in England.

"I accept you were not the mastermind or the brains of the operation," he said. "But you were the principal wholesaler."

Frewer sold the Ecstasy to middle-men such as Nicholas Bowyer, who was last week found guilty of supplying others.

One of those buyers was Richard Allesio Rinaldi.

Rinaldi and Bowyer had high-flying careers with IBM and Microsoft before becoming caught up in the clubbing scene.

The 39-year-old Rinaldi was also sentenced yesterday by Justice Venning after admitting one representative charge of selling 3000 pills.

Defence lawyer Todd Simmonds said his client was well educated and intelligent, a "solid individual who made a terrible mistake".

Mr Simmonds said Rinaldi had paid a price for his crimes - losing his "treasured position" at IBM.

Justice Venning rejected Mr Simmonds's suggestion that Rinaldi receive a "merciful" home detention sentence, and jailed him for two years and four months.

At one time, an Ecstasy pill sold for between $35 and $40 at street level. Frewer stashed the cash in a downtown ASB Bank safety deposit box, which records show he visited 120 times over six months.

Police found US$240,000 ($375,000) and $100,000 in the vault, and receipts that showed $785,000 had been converted into US$502,000 and US$30,000 ($65,700).

Millions of dollars were smuggled to London by syndicate members.

Detective Sergeant Mike Beal, of the Auckland metro drug squad, said the Ecstasy ring was a "colourful cast of criminals" which had supplied the drug since 2004.

"These were people who had lots of opportunities in life, from backgrounds of privilege," he said. "They were well educated, well travelled, with a number of them in good employment. But drug dealing is all about the money."

Sixteen people were arrested in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in the July 2008 busts.

Of those, 14 were convicted, most pleading guilty before trial.