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Kim Michael Dozier had a collection of pinball machines, quantities of drugs and cash at his Christchurch home when police arrived.
Photo: Open Justice / NZME
Pinball wizard Kim Michael Dozier made a play for the big time.
However, his gaming days were numbered after a massive drug bust, imprisonment, and now a High Court decision to take his prized collection of machines worth hundreds of thousands.
Dozier, a New Zealand ranked pinball player, was jailed for four years and one month at the Christchurch District Court on 3 March for possession of LSD, cocaine, magic mushrooms, ketamine, MDMA and cannabis for supply.
It followed a May police raid on his garage arcade in Christchurch where drugs were found in various rooms within his house with $45,500 packed in 11 bundles.
In his garage, police also found his collection of arcade pinball machines, collectively worth between $150,000 and $172,000.
The garage was part of an elaborate set-up where Dozier hosted pinball tournaments at the “Kimzone” arcade.
Police uncovered numerous items indicative of drug dealing within the garage.
A cellphone was seized during the search and on analysis, showed messages consistent with a drug-dealing operation.
In a recently released decision, Justice Jonathan Eaton ordered the restraint of the pinball machines under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act.
Police had sought a restraining order for the 13 machines and $45,500 in January.
Dozier was served with the application last month.
Dozier’s lawyer Andrew McKenzie didn’t oppose the application and said his client accepted ownership of the machines.
However, there was a claim some of the machines had been sold, McKenzie said.
McKenzie told the High Court he understood police had identified the buyers and contacted them.
Police said Dozier had arranged for some associates to clear his belongings, including the 13 machines from the address, while he was in custody.
Lawyer Olivia Welsh, for the Police Commissioner, said there had been discussions with a potential purchaser of the machines and police were looking to secure them.
Justice Eaton was satisfied, that both the cash seized during the search and the pinball machines were tainted property and that Dozier had unlawfully benefited from significant criminal activity.
It was confirmed the $45,500 had been forfeited at sentencing and a restraining order was not sought for the cash.
Justice Eaton directed the order be served on third parties who may be intended parties by virtue of a sale of a particular pinball machine.
The International Flipper Pinball Association website shows Dozier ranked 30th in New Zealand.
* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.