COURT TOLD OF DIAL-A-DRUG PINS, PAGERS

A sophisticated narcotics operation using telephone pagers was
described in the High Court at Auckland yesterday as "dial-a-drug."

Prosecutor Jonathan Krebs told a jury that customers were given PIN
numbers, the type of the drug they wanted was coded and the chosen
meeting place was also in the form of a two-digit code.

An order would appear on the pager as a string of numbers indicating
who the customer was, the drug of choice, the quantity, and the
desired drop-off point.

"A bit like dial-a-pizza-this was dial-a-drug," Mr Krebs said.

Seven people are facing a total of 54 drug-related charges which
include conspiracy to supply LSD, manufacturing methamphetamine,
possession and selling of drugs, cultivation of cannabis and money
laundering.

Airoe Clarkson, aged 38, from Mangere, is said to be the ringleader,
with his sister, Desiree Frisbee, 39, from Chapel Downs, Manukau
City, his second in command.

Also facing charges are Clarkson's wife, Katrine Aupouri-Clarkson,
39, Maia Boaza, 67, of Mt Roskill, Johnston Kornelius Rohipa, 38, of
Pukekohe, Lawrence Cresswell, 33, of Whangaparaoa, and Matthew
Woller, 30, of Mangere.

Mr Krebs told the jury that the large-scale drug ring came to light
as the result of a separate police operation in Tauranga.

Clarkson and Frisbee were central figures in the high-tech ordering
system, Mr Krebs said.

He told the court that customers were vetted before being given an
identification number and access to the pager ordering system.

Drugs were also coded: LSD was 00; speed (methamphetamine) 05;
outdoor cannabis 08; indoor or hydroponic cannabis 09.

Drug meeting places were also number-coded.

Mr Krebs said that when police raided Clarkson's address they found
two digital diaries.

After downloading and analysing the information, police found that
Clarkson had "very helpfully" provided not only a key to the codes
but also details of various transactions.

"The digital diaries set out the names of the people and the types of
drugs and the meeting places," said Mr Krebs.

They also found six pagers, cash and drugs. The cash and drugs were
wrapped in Gladwrap.

In addition, said Mr Krebs, police also found 46 rolls, or 3km, of
Gladwrap, enough to stretch from Grey Lynn to Ponsonby.

Also located was an "extraordinary' number of cellphones with an
extremely high usage.

One had a toll bill of more than $1600, which Mr Krebs said indicated
the volume of business being done.

When the organised crime unit ended its operation, police raided 15 addresses.

These included six lock-up units where $86,000 in cash was said to
have been located.

Officers also seized drugs, drug-making chemicals, a shotgun and more
than 100 pornographic videos.

The trial before Justice Bruce Robertson continues today.