DEALERS PUSHED ON DESPITE SEARCHES

Occupants of a Christchurch tinny house continued to deal in dope
despite two police searches of the premises.

On the third search, Bruce Robert Tapine was arrested for selling
tinnies to an undercover police officer.

In the Christchurch District Court, he admitted a charge of possession
of cannabis for supply.

Sergeant Mike McIlwraith said the Barbadoes Street property, divided
into six flats, was well known to police, through police surveillance,
as a long-term tinny house.

Tapine, 38, took up tenancy there in February 2000, and was one of
several occupants who paid rent.

The building had twice been partially searched by police, but
observation showed tinnies continued to be sold from the address, Mr
McIlwraith said.

Police arranged for an undercover officer to visit the house, and he
bought dope on four occasions.

On March 14, 2001, police searched the entire property, seizing a
total of 175 tinnies and $1569 in cash, which included one of the
notes used by the undercover officer to buy cannabis. Tapine's
fingerprints were found on some of the tinnies. Tapine told police
everyone in the house "did their own thing" in terms of dealing.

Tapine was remanded on bail by Judge John Strettell to later this
month for sentence.