Operation Buckle: Former meth dealer uses status acquired through drugs to educate youth

The Hell's Angels is the largest motorbike club in the world with an estimated 3600 members across 467 chapters in 59 countries, including seven in New Zealand. Photo / Alex Burton

A court has heard how a Hell's Angels meth dealer used his profits from selling the drug to invest in stock car racing, which has now helped turn his life around.

Dwayne Morehu, 45, was the latest to appear before the courts today as part of a police operation that resulted in multiple meth labs shut down and 13 people arrested in 2020.

"You've said you were at the right place at the right time to make some quick and easy money," Judge Bruce Northwood said during his sentencing today.

Morehu's lawyer Debbie Goodlet told the court that since becoming involved with the stock car speedway he's begun coaching a crew of at-risk youths.

"He's involved himself with speedway, but primarily he's trying to assist this group of young people and keeping them in that pro-social environment. Keeping them away from alcohol, and drugs and crime and gangs.

"He's very proud of it and very focused on it. And for me it means not having to be standing up for them in the next eight years."

Judge Northwood noted the irony that selling meth had been his entry into the speedway, and he was now staying to help prevent youths from following his path into drug use and gangs.

"It does impress me that you are open with this stock car organisation," he said.

"I trust they're not being foolish as far as their connection with you is concerned.

"You're now trying to turn people away from where you are now…"

Morehu was sentenced to seven months' home detention in the Palmerston North District Court today.

He's the latest to be sentenced as part of Operation Buckle which saw 13 people arrested for their involvement in a Hell's Angels meth ring, which police busted two years ago.

They're facing charges including manufacturing methamphetamine, conspiracy to deal methamphetamine, possession of class A drugs, possession for supply of methamphetamine, cultivation of cannabis, and unlawful possession of firearms.

As part of the operation 16 properties were raided across Palmerston North, rural Manawatu, Whanganui, Auckland, and the Bay of Plenty resulting in two methamphetamine labs being shut down.

Police also seized a stolen 2.6-tonne digger valued at $35,000, four high-end cars, six custom Harley Davidson Motorbikes, as well as cash, and a range of drugs including cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, and cannabis.

Also sentenced today as part of the same ring was Katrina Payne, who received nine months' home detention.

Payne bought a total of two ounces of methamphetamine from senior Hell's Angels members and then on-sold the product in smaller quantities.

Judge Northwood said she was in part selling the drug to fund her own use.

"I read how you and your partner were given meth to try and things snowballed from there. This situation is not unique.

"Clearly you had fallen upon hard times."

He said Payne had previously owned a hair salon and was motivated to return to a normal life.

"You're motivated, you should succeed. We don't want to see you here again."