'Drug ring imported $96M worth of heroin into Aust’

Press, 18 July 1980, Page 16

'Drug ring imported $96M worth of heroin into Aust’

NZPA Melbourne An international drug organisation imported he< roin' worth; $96 million into .Australia'over a ninemonth period, the Coroner’s Court was told.

Mr Kevin S.M., was holding an inquest into the deaths of Douglas Robert-. Wilson, aged. 26, and his/’wife,-,..lsgbel •’/Martha WilsqiifS; nged \ 24. ■!■ whose (bodies were; ‘found ? in a shallow -grave at Rye on May 18, 1979. .. A . former drug Squad,-de-tective, Senior-Sergeant: lan’ V/illiamson, told 'the ' court the boss of the drug . ring had amassed millions ; of dollars; s. .

He said Terrbnce John Clark had lived a life of luxury until he was arrested in. Britain on a murder charge, Senior-Sergeant Williamson said he had investigated the: Wilson deaths and drug network in Australia, New Zealand and Britain.

He said .Glark,’ fled from Australia in- April, 1979." Clark was? arrested in Britain later that year after the discovery of a mutilated body in., a Lancashire quarry, Sehior-Ser-geant Williamson'said. ■ The body”'was« .that of Christopher Martin Johnstone, a narcotics dealer and past associate of Clark, he said. Clark was charged with the murder under the alias

of Terrence Alexander Sinclair.

General Sergeant Williamson' said that before the arrest Clark enjoyed an expensive lifestyle. He had stayed two months at the London Hilton, holidayed in the United States where he stayed at the Beverley Hills Hotel, Los Angeles, and returned to Britain where he rented an expensive flat in the London suburb of Kensington.. Senior-Sergeant Williamson said Clark had also., bought a mansion /Valued "at $250,000 on New, Zealand’s Bay of Islands through' a trust fund, he had set up with a firm of ...solicitors there. '•- Clark had also established a 100,000 fund with the firm to cover any legal expenses he might incur.

On his arrest in Britain, two solicitors had flown from New Zealand to represent Clark, Senior-Ser-geant Williamson said. He said Clark had also bought property in Fiji valued at more than $lOO,OOO under the name of his de facto wife, Maria Muhary. Clark had a long criminal history in New Zealand and was known to be, associated with the narcotics- trade in the early 19705. In 1975 Clark had imported into New Zealand 200,000 cannabis sticks and made many thousands of dollars profit, ' SeniorSergeant Williamson said. .

Clark had later negotiated the purchase of $1 million worth of heroin in blocks from the “Golden Triangle” of South-East Asia; ne said. ■ -

The. heroin had been shipped /to Australia and was brought ashore- on the north Queensland coast. Senior-Sergeant . Williamson said the heroin was 95 per cent pure but was later. diluted with icing sugar; The first con-: signment had arrived in. March, 1977. . At this time Clark ,was living with - Gregory 01lard, the then manager of the pop group, Dragon, in Belrose, New South Wales. Ollard had helped Clark distribute the narcotics but had later disappeared. Douglas and Isabel Wilson had joined Clark to help distribute heroin in March, 1978. Clark had paid Mr Wilson $4OO for his services and allowed him access to whatever heroin he and his wife needed to support their own drug habits, he said. Clark had told Mr Wilson he had shot another drug syndicate member, Harry Lewis, and had dumped the body in bushland near Port Macquarie, N.S.W., Senior-Sergeant Williamson said. Mr Wilson had expressed fears that if Clark knqw of the taped conversation with the police, the lives of his wife and himself would be in danger, he said. The Wilsons and Clark

were arrested- in Brisbane JriT'Jund. 1978, after-the pplice were given informs- ; tibn- by a drug courier; i Clark was; extradited to i New. Zealand to face drug / charges, dn ; which rhe was ! .acquitted- s r 1 He‘had returned to Australia illegally to .find the i organisation still functioning under a senior member, Jimmy Shepherd. J Clark had learned of the police interview with the . ' Wilsons. Senior-Sergeant , •Williamson siad. Senior-Sergeant Williamson said the Wilsons were lured to Melbourne under the pretence of performing tasks for the organisation, and killed on or'about April 13. 1979. ;

He said.it was reason- j able to assume Clark ! would have wished to silence the Wilsons and anyone else who endangered the drug ring. In an interview with the Melbourne police in Lancashire in November, 1979, Clark had denied., responsibility, for the death Of the Wilsons, he said. Clark had said he was staying at Sydney’s Wentworth Hotel about April, 1979, but admitted to staying in Melbourne for a short time before that date.

Asked why he had not come forward to clear himself, Clark had replied “I wouldn’t have stood a chance,”. Senior-Serggeant Williamson said.

The hearing is proceeding.