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Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua drug ring: Trio sent to prison

By Abigail Hartevelt
Rotorua Daily Post·
25 Nov, 2011 02:00 AM3 mins to read

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Three drug dealers involved in a major P ring in Rotorua have been jailed.

Between them, 470g of methamphetamine either passed through their hands or was in their possession. The drugs had an estimated total street value of $470,000.

Edward David Phillips, 48, of Ngongotaha, Warren John McLaine, 59, of Auckland, and Lee Sara Haira, 42, of Rotorua, appeared for sentencing in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday.

Phillips previously pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine for supply and two charges of supplying methamphetamine between March and October 2009.

He was sentenced to six years and seven months with a minimum non-parole period of three years and three months.

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McLaine previously pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of methamphetamine for supply between May and October 2009. He was sentenced to jail for five years and one month.

Haira, who is a serving prisoner, had pleaded guilty to a charge of supplying methamphetamine, one of supplying methamphetamine and one charge of conspiring to possess methamphetamine for supply. She was sentenced to 21 months' jail, to be served on top of the two-and-a-half-year sentence she is already serving on other methamphetamine related charges.

Justice Graham Lang said the three were arrested as part of an operation involving police intercepting a busy network of drug dealing.

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Rotorua man Graeme Williams, who earlier this year was jailed for 10 years and 10 months for his part, was at the "top of the table", Justice Lang said.

Justice Lang said Williams' property was under police surveillance and, over 45 days, 3500 people went to the property, 30 per cent of whom were seen going to a caravan where Phillips lived.

Phillips had said that not all of those who were seen going to the caravan were there to buy drugs but Justice Lang said there were a substantial number who were.

Phillips was a "busy street dealer who operated with numerous contacts", Justice Lang said.

Philips had 177g of methamphetamine in his possession for supply.

Phillips had a previous conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine.

McLaine was a "trusted lieutenant" who would transport cash and drugs for Williams.

"He [Williams] trusted you to source drugs and cash for him," Justice Lang said.

McLaine used some of his own contacts to source some of the methamphetamine and he accepted that 266g of methamphetamine had passed through his hands.

Justice Lang said McLaine had not made any commercial gain from getting the methamphetamine. He had obtained the drug to feed his own habit.

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Justice Lang said Haira had committed the offences while on bail for similar offending and was already serving a two-and-a-half year jail term. Haira and Phillips had pooled their funds to buy more of the drug at a cheaper price.

Justice Lang said Haira had accepted she had 26.7g of methamphetamine for supply and described her as a "busy retailer" in the drug.

Haira had a large amount of support, had made considerable progress while in jail and had many good qualities but she needed to ensure that she stayed well clear of drugs in the future, Justice Lang said.

Outside the court a Rotorua lawyer, who did not want to be named, said the street value of a gram of methamphetamine was $1000.

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