Drug-killings probe in Wellington

Press, 16 July 1979, Page 6

Drug-killings probe in Wellington

PA

Wellington

Australian homicide detectives investigated Wellington’s drug scene at the week-end. seeking leads on recent drug-connected killings and disappearances.

The deputy head of the Victorian Homicide Squad, Detective Inspector Brian Ritchie, and Sergeant lan Williamson, both of Melbourne, arrived at Wellington on Friday evening and left for Auckland last evening. The two detectives are investigating the killing of an Auckland couple, Douglas and Isabel Wilson, at Rye, near .Melbourne. The couple were believed to have been couriers for a New Zealandrun international heroin trafficking ring. Their bulletriddled bodies were found on May 18. Other ring-related killings on the detectives’; list are those of a ?>lelbourne; massage parlour attendant. • Margaret Anne Clayton, aged, 26, who was shot last month,! and an Auckland man. Harry i Lewis, whose mutilated body Was found near Sydney. : The detectives are also in-i

!| vestigating the disappearancei J of Greg Ollard and Susan!! ijThielman. both of Auckland.l: 11 Mr Collard’s sister. Mrsl' • iCharmaine Hawira, ofi ■Mangere. has said that she.: I'believes both Were killed by!' ■ the same drug ring. While in Wellington the :,two top policemen avoided' ’'reporters, but said that they!! u would make a full statement']! . on their New Zealand iniquities in Auckland later:! i this week. The Melbourne detectives |i had a Wellington-based mem-!' ber of the New Zealand! 1 Criminal Intelligence Service ' accompanying them at the i week-end. who said last , ■evening that persons in Wei- i llington “able to assist” with i ; the Australian murder in- 1 jquiries had been inter- i ■ viewed. Some of these per- i sons had previously spoken ( to the New Zealand policed 'about the Australian killings.li

I The investigation in New i Zealand has been extended: 1 the Melbourne detectives | were to have gone home at the week-end but they made an unexpected trip to 'Queenstown late last week; |to interview several persons. A common thread has i linked all the Australian kil-j I lings—. 22 calibre bullets! have killed the victims. It is believed that the bullet which killed Margaret Anne Bell, the Auckland night-club hostess mistaken Itwo weeks ago for a drugworld target by hired killers, was also a .22 calibre Detectives have turned Auckland’s drug world upside down in a fruitless search for her killers, but Detective Inspector B. R. Rowe, who is leading the murder inquiry, has said that no evidence has been found yet Ito link her death with those; iin Australia.