Authorities have seized approximately $680,000 in assets from a New Plymouth man following his conviction on charges related to drug manufacturing and supply, police have said.
The forfeiture, ordered by the New Plymouth High Court, includes a property, a 2014 Ford Ranger, over $100,000 in cash, and more than $36,000 in bank accounts.
The case began in 2019 when police launched an investigation into illicit drug production and distribution in the Taranaki region. The National Clandestine Laboratories Response Team executed two search warrants, uncovering eight LSD tablets, 94 grams of methamphetamine, 82 grams of cannabis, and $56,000 in hidden cash at the suspect’s property.
In 2021, a separate investigation by the New Plymouth Criminal Investigation Branch was triggered after a taxi driver brought an unconscious woman to the police station. The woman had been given GHB mixed with alcohol at a property linked to the suspect, Marlon John Bird. A subsequent search of the address revealed over $45,000 in cash and items used to manufacture methamphetamine.
Bird was sentenced in November 2022 to five years and three months in prison for the 2019 and 2021 offenses. Detective Sergeant Sam Buckley of the Central Asset Recovery Unit stated that further investigation confirmed Bird’s assets were acquired through illegal activities, enabling a lifestyle beyond his legitimate means. “The forfeited proceeds will support community projects aimed at reducing methamphetamine harm in Taranaki,” Buckley said.
Detective Inspector Gerard Bouterey, Central District’s Field Crime Manager, emphasized the police’s commitment to disrupting drug networks. “This outcome sends a clear message: we will relentlessly target those profiting from the harm caused by methamphetamine and other drugs,” he said. “These seizures dismantle the financial incentives driving such crimes.”
Police continue to encourage the public to report drug-related activity via the 105 service or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111.
Someone is on a downer
Who are the real criminals and thieves?
Is it just me, or do pedophiles seem to get less sentencing than this dude got?