International drug importation ring co-accused pleads guilty in Tauranga

Tauranga courthouse building on Cameron Rd. Photo / NZME

One of nine men accused of being part of a plot to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of Class A drugs through the Port of Tauranga, while siphoning cash off to Mexico, has now pleaded guilty.

Angel Gabriel Gavito Alverado appeared in the High Court at Tauranga today on four drug-related charges involving Tauranga, Rotorua, and Auckland between January and April last year.

The Ōmokoroa resident was accused of laundering $20,600, having known the money was the proceeds of criminal activity. The money was transferred to a bank in Mexico, the court heard.

Alverado was also charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply, and importation of 215g of methamphetamine into New Zealand to a property in Rotorua, plus conspiring to import another 215g of methamphetamine to an Auckland address.

Alverado previously denied his charges but today pleaded guilty to all four.

Justice Graham Lang convicted Alverado on all charges, remanding him in custody until his next court appearance on November 11 in the High Court at Rotorua.

The charges against Alverado and his co-accused stem from an eight-month covert investigation by the National Organised Crime Group and Customs investigators last year.

Operation Tarpon targeted those allegedly involved in conspiring to import large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine in New Zealand with links to a Mexican cartel.

According to the police, hundreds of kilograms of cocaine were to be concealed inside shipping containers at the Port of Tauranga, but the alleged conspiracy plot was disrupted before the shipment reached New Zealand.

The co-accused include Maurice Oliver Swinton, from Te Puke, who worked casually as a stevedore for C3 Ltd, a stevedoring business contracted to the Port of Tauranga.

In a previous court appearance, Swinton denied a charge of conspiring with others to import a Class A drug.

The other seven men also denied their charges.

Jeffrey Maraenui Gear, from Ngongotaha, will defend two joint charges of conspiring with other defendants to manufacture P and possession of the drug for supply.

Rotorua carver Tamai Waitai denied five joint charges of conspiring with others to import cocaine, manufacturing P and possession of the drug for supply.

Rotorua builder James Bradley Dickson has pleaded not guilty to two counts of importing cocaine into New Zealand on December 27, 2020, and February 2 last year.

Another defendant from Rotorua, whose identity is suppressed, has also denied conspiring with others to import cocaine and methamphetamine.

Te Kaha fisherman Tangaroa David Demant will defend five charges, including conspiring with others to import cocaine and manufacture methamphetamine.

Manuel Gonzalez, from Mt Albert, will defend a joint charge of possessing P for supply.

A ninth defendant, from Auckland, pleaded not guilty to importing cocaine, as well as possessing cocaine and methamphetamine for supply.

The case is set for trial from February 13, 2023.