By Emma Jolliff
A 54-year-old woman appeared in a Wellington court today on multiple drugs charges, after she was found with nearly 0.5kg of P in her bag at Wellington Airport.
Police say it is the capital’s biggest seizure and will drive the price of P up – something the Government hopes will drive dealers out of business.
Susan Horrobin also had 100 ecstasy tablets in her possession, 45 tablets of LSD and $10,000 cash.
“We proactively target offenders that distribute methamphetamine and this person was a target,” says Detective Senior Sergeant Warwick McKee.
“We decided to detain her and search her. We got this seizure as a result of that.”
The woman had flown from Auckland to Wellington where she was arrested.
“This is the largest seizure domestically within Wellington that we’ve come across,” says Mr McKee.
It is believed the P was manufactured in Auckland.
One ‘point’ of P (1/10th of a gram) would give a P user three ‘hits’ – it sells for up to $150.
Police say the P haul is worth $400,000. Research from Massey puts it at $295,000. Whoever is right, both parties agree the price is rising.
“We don’t expect the supply from the seizure to dry up in Wellington, that will increase the price out on the streets,” says Mr McKee.
That echoes a pledge by the Government in April to crack down on the supply of P.
“I’m not in the business of drugs so I don’t go and monitor what the street price is, but certainly our earlier moves saw the price go up,” Prime Minister John Key said in April.
Horrobin, a Johnsonville resident, appeared in Wellington District Court on six charges including possession of methamphetamine for supply.
“For a significant amount of product like we’ve seized, we expect a lengthy sentence of six to 10 years,” says Mr McKee.
Horrobin was remanded in custody and has a bail hearing tomorrow.
3 News