The family of Aiden Sagala says they are relieved a man has finally been charged over his death almost three months after the 21-year-old died.
Aiden died after unknowingly drinking pure liquid methamphetamine from a beer can. No one knows how much Aiden consumed, but it's believed it was only a few sips.
On Thursday morning, police confirmed a 40-year-old man has been arrested and charged with the manslaughter of Aiden. The charge follows police reviewing Aiden’s toxicology and pathology reports.
The man appeared in Auckland District Court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
Newshub previously spoke to Aiden's sister Angela in an exclusive interview in April, where she revealed the struggle she went through to get an ambulance when the 21-year-old collapsed.
She told Newshub the sports-mad 21-year-old Christian collapsed at home after drinking what he thought was beer, given to him by a work colleague.
Angela performed CPR until the ambulance arrived, but five days later, Aiden died.
On Thursday, Angela told Newshub "we miss him so much. My parents especially".
"With the charge being laid, it won't bring my brother back, but it will bring some accountability over the death of an innocent young man," Angela said.
"Hearing the news has awoken emotions we had when he passed. We feel angry, we feel sad. However, it was a relief for our family, we finally got some good news.
"Finally, someone is being charged for the death of an innocent person.”
Aiden's death initiated Operation Lavender, a police investigation that has seen numerous serious drug charges already laid, and a large quantity of methamphetamine and other drugs recovered at an address in Manukau.
Police are continuing to investigate the "significant drug importation", in which drugs in liquid form were allegedly being imported into concealed beer cans.
"Whilst the final calculations are not yet complete, Police estimate the value of the drug seizure to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars," Baldwin said.
