The trial of patched members and associates of the Headhunters motorcycle gang allegedly involved in a massive organised crime bust is underway in Auckland.
They face 23 charges related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, after police seized guns, cars, gold and millions of dollars in cash.
In its opening statement the prosecution alleged the ringleaders of the meth-making syndicate were three patched members - William Hines, Te Here Maaka and Tavis Sradler.
The Crown says Hines was the leader of the group.
It alleges in April 2015 the defendants did a deal to buy $4460 grams of pseudoephedrine.
The prosecution say that was enough to make almost 1kg of methamphetamine.
"That's somewhere between $280,000-500,000 of meth was made, so this, the Crown would say, is a fairly big business," Crown prosecutor Bruce Northwood says.
It's alleged some of the defendants then manufactured and sold on the drugs.
The prosecution say the money was then laundered, some of it through five luxury vehicles, impounded by police in 2015.
It's alleged the cars were put in the name of Allister Vousden, but not owned by him.
"Crown case is the vehicles were owned by William Hines at Ellerslie Collision Repairs," Mr Northwood says.
The Crown will also put to the jury that four of the defendants rented a storage lock up in Panmure in Auckland where they stored methamphetamine, materials used for the manufacture of the drug and firearms.
The case is expected to take some time as Hines will need dialysis treatment every other day while court is sitting.
The trial has been set down for 10 weeks.
Newshub.
