Manhunt for major drugs kingpin heads south

The fugitive might be trying to set up a drug operation in the south, or using his previous contacts to remain in hiding, or even trying to flee the country. Photo / File

A methamphetamine kingpin who fled authorities in Auckland is being hunted in Dunedin.

Zebulin Mario Davoren is the ringleader of a major criminal drug organisation which, at its peak, spent large amounts of cash on American muscle cars, travel, jewellery and gold bars.

"He is the sort of the person who can buy loyalty," said Detective Sergeant Stu Hunter, of the Organised and Financial Crime Agency New Zealand (OFCANZ).

The almost seven-week manhunt had now moved to the South Island, and Dunedin in particular.

"We can't expand on why we think he may be there, but we have reason to believe he may be in Dunedin," Mr Hunter said. It was possible Davoren was being harboured by gang links, as "cash talks big time".

Search warrants linked to his group uncovered enough pseudoephedrine to make methamphetamine worth $2 million, a kilogram gold bar, more than $500,000 in cash and 10 expensive motor vehicles.

The fugitive might be trying to set up a drug operation in the south, or using his previous contacts to remain in hiding, or even trying to flee the country, Mr Hunter said.

Davoren was convicted in the High Court at Auckland on October 6 on 31 charges, including manufacturing and supplying methamphetamine,

"The judge had indicated that they were likely to be remanded in custody once the evidence had finished and the jury went into deliberations ... but he decided he wasn't going to wait for that," Mr Hunter said.

He was believed to be with his partner, Sophia Leigh Wilson, who was found guilty of possessing pseudoephedrine for supply.

That OFCANZ investigation - dubbed Operation Jericho - uncovered a network of methamphetamine cooks, suppliers and dealers across Auckland.

That Chinese-sourced pseudoephedrine was supplied in large amounts to various people, including the Head Hunters' gang, Mr Hunter said.

However, questions remained over how they sourced large qualities of the precursor chemical.

This week, a Head Hunters gang member was sentenced to four years' jail for "his minor role", while others from Operation Jericho received sentences ranging from home detention to 14 years' jail.

Otago Daily Times