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A two-year police operation dismantled a multimillion-dollar drug network, resulting in jail for Tribesmen members and associates.
Al Williams takes a look at the operation that exploited gaps in airport security, using commercial flights and tow trucks to move drugs and cash.
Photo: NZME/SUPPLED
Ricky Poa lived a lavish lifestyle, often travelling business class abroad and driving cars that cost six figures. He sat atop a multimillion-dollar drug empire, but always at arm's length from his minions.
In conversations he had with a Thai citizen he met during one of his trips, Poa boasted about his wealth and positioned himself near the throne of a gang hierarchy.
He paid for the Thai citizen to visit him in New Zealand to "see my country and see my gang".
Behind the wealth was a weakness in regional airport security that allowed Poa's operation to flourish.
It was widely known that smaller airports didn't have the luggage-scanning machines used at larger ones. It allowed the transport of large quantities of drugs without detection by authorities.
The drugs were picked up in Auckland and driven to Hamilton and Rotorua. They were then flown to Christchurch for distribution.
Meanwhile, Poa - 33 and legally unemployed - was travelling to Thailand and Indonesia, where he stayed in luxury accommodation.
He lived in Thailand for several months and gang associates and family members took regular trips to visit him, funded by Poa despite him having no legitimate source of income.
He owned or used several high-value vehicles, including a $65,000 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a $149,000 2021 Mercedes-Benz and a $159,500 2021 BMW X5 SUV.
While he was flaunting his wealth and bragging about his status, his minions were kept busy operating the multimillion-dollar meth and cocaine supply network out of Christchurch.
Photo: NZME/SUPPLED
Poa was the principal offender, leader and the main financial beneficiary of the drug-dealing activity.
Known as Sarge, Bigko and Rick, he instructed his troops to do the groundwork.
He was responsible primarily for sourcing significant quantities of the drugs from organised
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