A sophisticated narcotics operation using telephone pagers was described in the High Court at Auckland yesterday as "dial-a-drug."
Prosecutor Jonathan Krebs told a jury that customers were given PIN numbers, the type of the drug they wanted was coded and the chosen meeting place was also in the form of a two-digit code.
An order would appear on the pager as a string of numbers indicating who the customer was, the drug of choice, the quantity, and the desired drop-off point.
"A bit like dial-a-pizza-this was dial-a-drug," Mr Krebs said.
Seven people are facing a total of 54 drug-related charges which include conspiracy to supply LSD, manufacturing methamphetamine, possession and selling of drugs, cultivation of cannabis and money laundering.
Airoe Clarkson, aged 38, from Mangere, is said to be the ringleader, with his sister, Desiree Frisbee, 39, from Chapel Downs, Manukau City, his second in command.
Also facing charges are Clarkson's wife, Katrine Aupouri-Clarkson, 39, Maia Boaza, 67, of Mt Roskill, Johnston Kornelius Rohipa, 38, of Pukekohe, Lawrence Cresswell, 33, of Whangaparaoa, and Matthew Woller, 30, of Mangere.
Mr Krebs told the jury that the large-scale drug ring came to light as the result of a separate police operation in Tauranga.
Clarkson and Frisbee were central figures in the high-tech ordering system, Mr Krebs said.
He told the court that customers were vetted before being given an identification number and access to the pager ordering system.
Drugs were also coded: LSD was 00; speed (methamphetamine) 05; outdoor cannabis 08; indoor or hydroponic cannabis 09.
Drug meeting places were also number-coded.
Mr Krebs said that when police raided Clarkson's address they found two digital diaries.
After downloading and analysing the information, police found that Clarkson had "very helpfully" provided not only a key to the codes but also details of various transactions.
"The digital diaries set out the names of the people and the types of drugs and the meeting places," said Mr Krebs.
They also found six pagers, cash and drugs. The cash and drugs were wrapped in Gladwrap.
In addition, said Mr Krebs, police also found 46 rolls, or 3km, of Gladwrap, enough to stretch from Grey Lynn to Ponsonby.
Also located was an "extraordinary' number of cellphones with an extremely high usage.
One had a toll bill of more than $1600, which Mr Krebs said indicated the volume of business being done.
When the organised crime unit ended its operation, police raided 15 addresses.
These included six lock-up units where $86,000 in cash was said to have been located.
Officers also seized drugs, drug-making chemicals, a shotgun and more than 100 pornographic videos.
The trial before Justice Bruce Robertson continues today.
Court told of dial-a-drug PINs, pagers
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