Meth seized as a result of the search warrant this month. Photo / Supplied
Meth seized as a result of the search warrant this month. Photo / Supplied
The identity of the man charged after more than 60kg of methamphetamine was seized in Rotorua this month will remain suppressed until his next appearance.
The public gallery in the Rotorua District Court was full of tearful family members and supporters of the 42-year-old this afternoon.
Other members of thepublic had to wait outside until the appearance was over.
The man was charged with possession of methamphetamine after a bust in Fairy Springs at 10pm on August 15, which found about $36 million worth of the drug.
He appeared in the Rotorua District Court the next day.
Today he appeared via audio-visual link from prison. Defence counsel Jonathan Temm argued his client needed to remain anonymous because the summary of facts for the case was provided just five minutes before the appearance.
The prosecution confirmed this to Judge Greg Hollister-Jones.
Defence lawyer Jonathan Temm. Photo / File
The man was granted further interim name suppression until his next appearance next Thursday afternoon.
Acting Rotorua police area commander Inspector Phil Taikato said earlier the bust was the "biggest we've had in the Bay" and a "huge amount for our small town".He said it was a result of New Zealand becoming a destination of choice for people involved in drugs.Taikato said many found ways of "funding their habit" through crime, so getting it out of the community was a win all-round.Police were grateful for the community and their help in finding and shutting down drug operations, he said.The bust was significantly larger than the $420,000 worth of meth seized from properties in Rotorua and Auckland in December, which resulted in four people being arrested.The biggest meth bust in New Zealand was in 2016 when police found 501kg of the drug in Totara North and on Ninety Mile Beach.That haul had an estimated street value of almost half a billion dollars.
