Four New Zealanders have been sentenced to a combined 48 years in prison for their roles in nationwide drug importing operation which used several “safe addresses,” including New Zealand’s third largest life insurance agency.
Rodney Martel, Reghardt Roux, Rachel Vincent and Anthony Dawson were sentenced to more than 18, 14, 11 and three years in prison, respectively, according to a report from the NZ Herald. The convicts plead guilty to a variety of cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) importation charges.
All four were arrested as part of Customs’ operation spar and were convicted at the High Court in Auckland.
Martel, the mastermind of the operation, was found in with a rifle in his possession, a fake passport and a large amount of cash. Vincent was the senior manager of the group. Roux and Dawson were said to be “catchers” for helping organise the safe addresses.
According to the NZ Herald, a customs investigations manager said the operation was a result of identifying small quantities of drugs coming through the International Mail Centre. Fidelity Life was one of many target addresses, who were attempting to distance themselves from any culpability, the investigator said.
Co-offender James Bell, who used the Newmarket-based insurance firm as a "safe address" to import drugs, was earlier sentenced to more than six years in prison.
Related stories:
Insurance manager headed to prison for drug scheme
Insurance broker gets long custodial sentence after fraud
