ACCUSED ESCAPES US GOVT CLUTCHES

The United States has failed to the secure the extradition of an
Aucklander it claims organised one of the world's biggest heroin
shipments - because it botched its legal papers.

In the Auckland District Court yesterday Judge Robert Kerr found that
there would have been enough evidence to extradite Hing Hung Wong,
aged 37, but the US had not properly authenticated its papers.

The judge ordered Wong to remain in his secret Auckland apartment
under 24-hour guard until October, when Hong Kong police will launch
their own extradition bid stemming from a drug seizure in 1985.

The US claims that Wong was the deputy chief of a Hong Kong and
Thai-based drug cartel in 1991, when he masterminded a 486kg heroin
shipment to California.

The shipment was seized in what was the biggest heroin haul in US
history and the second-biggest internationally.

The US initially sought Wong's extradition on three heroin charges but
dropped one for lack of evidence. Yesterday, Judge Kerr dismissed
another for various reasons and the last because only two of about 10
affidavits had been properly certified by a US official. "There is
sufficient evidence [for extradition], but because of lack of
authentication no extradition order is made," the judge said.

The news was greeted stoically by both Wong and the man leading the
attempt to extradite him, assistant US attorney Stuart Altman.

Mr Altman said from New York that he needed to make some phone calls
before deciding the next step.

"We believe we have sufficient evidence to convict him in an American
court. Without knowing the specifics of the judge's decision I can't
say more."

Wong walked calmly from the court amid a protective huddle of lawyers
and friends.

One of Wong's lawyers, Paul Wicks, said his client was "obviously very
pleased with the outcome" and was braced to fight the Hong Kong
allegations.

However, Wong was disappointed that Judge Kerr had spurned his request
for easier and cheaper bail conditions.

Wong must pay for his rent, two fulltime guards, a radio anklet and a
$200,000 bond while living in his apartment. He is also denied
cellphone and internet access, and has agreed to let police tap his
phone.

Mr Wicks said in court that Wong wanted to live with his sister near a
police station, and that he had "abided religiously" with the
"oppressive" bail conditions. But a lawyer for the US, Mike Ruffin,
argued that Wong had fled from Hong Kong authorities before, and could
do so again.

Under NZ law the US can appeal against aspects of Judge Kerr's
decision.