A police summary of facts, supplied to the Rotorua Daily Post this week, describes how Jones was caught after police started tapping two of his phones in October 2024.<\/p>\n
They found he boasted about being a drug dealer, including saying, \u201cI\u2019m the best at this, in this town, that they\u2019ve ever seen\u201d.<\/p>\n
His business address at 1298 Tutanekai St was being set up to be a legitimate signwriting and screenprinting business and a future barber shop, but police say it was mainly used to deal drugs.<\/p>\n
The premises at 1298 Tutanekai St. Photo \/ Google Maps<\/p>\n
The summary said Jones\u2019 dealing could \u201conly be described as prolific\u201d.<\/p>\n
He had loyal customers, whom he would supply with large quantities of class A drug methamphetamine and class B drug 14B.<\/p>\n
They were mainly drug dealers and users who distributed drugs in their own networks.<\/p>\n
He hired some methamphetamine-dependent customers as \u201cstaff\u201d to sell and transport drugs, which he supplied them on \u201ctick\u201d or credit.<\/p>\n
They were asked to get slightly higher prices, with the money earned used to repay their credit and buy their own drugs.<\/p>\n
Jones was described in the summary as \u201chands-on\u201d, completing many deals himself. This included weighing drugs, meeting customers and deliveries.<\/p>\n
Although not a gang member, Jones was linked to deals with the Mongrel Mob, Black Power, and the Killer Beez.<\/p>\n
He used patched gang members to \u201cstand over people\u201d or seek retribution for \u201cperceived slights\u201d.<\/p>\n
In one intercepted message, he bragged about paying a patched member $1000 and 2 grams of methamphetamine to \u201csmash\u201d someone for stealing a phone.<\/p>\n
List of \u2018staff\u2019<\/p>\n
Jones had a list of \u201cstaff\u201d and their debts to him, ranging from $1600 to $2250, saved on his phone.<\/p>\n
One developed a debt so large that Jones received the man\u2019s Work and Income NZ benefit for more than four weeks, denying access to it without his permission.<\/p>\n
The man made deliveries, sampled new methamphetamine for Jones to check the quality and was among those who sold the drug from the rear shop window at nights.<\/p>\n
He would sell pre-packaged 0.25g, 0.5g and 1g bags of methamphetamine and $50 bottles of 14B, the summary said.<\/p>\n
Jeremy Jones arranged for methamphetamine to be sold from his rear shop window overnight. <\/p>\n
In an intercepted conversation, Jones claimed the man had \u201cmoved about $200,000 worth of gear\u201d for him.<\/p>\n
Jones complained about the man owing him money, but said he would not stop allowing him to work for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo he owes me say $2500, right, but his profit margin\u2019s about $80,000, so why would I stop?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Others Jones employed to staff the drug window overnights were responsible for being there from 7pm to 5pm to supply customers for pre-arranged deals or walk-ins, or for transporting drugs.<\/p>\n
The drug amounts<\/p>\n
Between July and December 2024, Jones possessed at least 1kg of methamphetamine for supply.<\/p>\n
Police identified 131 occasions where he, or others he was working with, supplied the drug.<\/p>\n
Between April and December 2024, he was in joint possession of at least 10 litres of 14B for supply.<\/p>\n
On at least 12 occasions he had unknown quantities of the drug.<\/p>\n
The \u201cshop window\u201d operated for up to 20 nights before Jones shut it down.<\/p>\n
Bragging rights<\/p>\n
Jones bragged about his drug dealing and frequently told others how much he was selling and making.<\/p>\n
In an intercepted call, Jones said: \u201cI have gotta go and pick up bro, I f**kin burnt through those 15 in under 24 hours that\u2019s 15 doughnuts brother. That\u2019s unbelievable eh.\u201c<\/p>\n
A doughnut emoji was used in one message to refer to an ounce of methamphetamine.<\/p>\n
When doing a cannabis deal with one of his meth sellers, Jones joked about him buying his quality weed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m worried that this weed is so f**king good, it\u2019s gonna slow down our f**king gear sales, and you\u2019re gonna be spending all your time in McDonald\u2019s drive-through because you\u2019re hungry, getting the munchies,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n
The arrest<\/p>\n
Jones and an associate were stopped by police in T\u012brau on December 11 on their way to Thames to supply drugs, the summary said.<\/p>\n
Jones was found with a contact Taser, more than 100g of methamphetamine, scales, bags, rubber bands and a litre of 14B.<\/p>\n
At his Rotorua home that afternoon, police found nearly a gram of methamphetamine, 2 grams of cocaine and 350ml of 14B.<\/p>\n
The following morning, police raiding Jones\u2019 Tutanekai St shop found a gram of cannabis, a contact Taser and a litre of 14B.<\/p>\n
Among the charges Jones admitted on Monday were supplying, possessing and dealing methamphetamine and liquid ecstasy; possessing cocaine; possessing, supplying and conspiring to deal cannabis; and possessing restricted weapons (contact Tasers).<\/p>\n
He was remanded in custody for sentencing on May 8.<\/p>\n