Banana business: Sloppy border claim offensive to New Zealand, Bastion Pt cocaine trial told
6 May, 2021 12:44 AM
3 minutes to read
For all three accused men in the cocaine trial, defence teams have now closed their cases. Photo / File
For all three accused men in the cocaine trial, defence teams have now closed their cases. Photo / File
Cocaine trial jurors have been warned not to slip up on claims a banana business was anything but legitimate.
Russian sailor Aleksandr Cherushev and Polish men Ryszard Richie Wilk and Patryk Lukasz Lukasik have pleaded not guilty to importing cocaine.
At the Bastion Pt cocaine trial, Lukasik also faces a charge of laundering $2382.80.
The High Court at Auckland.
Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers
Ryszard Wilk, Patryk Lukasik and Aleksandr Cherushev are on trial at the High Court in Auckland for importing and dealing 4kg of cocaine in 2016 and 2017.
The three men allegedly shipped and dealt the drug in New Zealand. They deny all seven charges against them.
Detective Mark Pickles, who has been involved in the police investigation into the men over the last four years - dubbed Operation Moa - gave evidence today.
The investigation had previously found a note linked to Wilk s son, Ralph, who has already pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine. The note referenced Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Park. Police visited but did not find anything of interest. Pickles said that area was too broad (the park is 49 acres) so they needed to narrow it down.
The High Court at Auckland.
Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers
The European trio - Ryszard Wilk, Patryk Lukasik, and Aleksandr Cherushev - are facing seven charges relating to 4kg of the Class A drug allegedly shipped to New Zealand from South America. They deny the charges.
In short, the Crown case is Cherushev, a Russian sailor, arrived by boat with the cocaine in September 2016. Wilk flew from Poland with his son, and received 4kg of cocaine from the sailor to offload it to another person whose identity is still not known. Lukasik, who arrived later from the UK, sorted the money.