$70,000 forfeited by Northland meth cooks after police settlement

Northern Advocate

28 Jul, 2025 05:00 AM3 mins to read

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Methamphetamine being cooked inside an active meth lab.

Two men arrested for cooking methamphetamine in Northland have agreed to forfeit more than $70,000 in suspected drug proceeds after reaching settlements with the police commissioner.

Related High Court judgments released this month confirmed Levi Heremaia Patariki Smith and Nicholas Owen Jones have agreed to abandon all claims to
the seized cash, which would be forfeited to the Crown under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act.

Smith, Jones, and their co-offenders Paul Guy and Leslie Mita were all variously involved in three methamphetamine manufacturing operations between 2021 and mid-2022. Two were at Smith’s Herekino property and one at an Ōpua address. Jones was identified as the lead cook in all three operations.

Smith and Jones were arrested in July 2022 after police raided Smith’s rural home on Kaitāia-Awaroa Rd. Before officers arrived, the pair – alongside Mita – was seen fleeing the property carrying a large frying pan and baking dish filled with methamphetamine.

Inside the house, police uncovered a large clandestine meth lab, 1.6kg of finished methamphetamine, manufacturing equipment, and $23,627 in cash located in a bedroom Smith shared with his partner. Additional cash – $4211 – was found in a rented Ford Ranger vehicle at the scene.