Large-scale drug making in farmhouse laboratory

Press, 26 October 1984, Page 4

Large-scale drug making in farmhouse laboratory

Given a lenient sentence of a fine and periodic detention in May for the manufacture of morphine, a man ignored the final chance he had been given and was now before the Court for the commercial manufacture of the same drug with a street value of around $lOO,OOO, Mr Justice Holland said in the High Court yesterday. His Honour jailed Brian Matthew Latta, aged 37, unemployed, for three years and eight months on three drug charges. Latta had pleaded guilty to manufacturing morphine at Waipara on August 3, possession of seven needles and six syringes for illegal drug use and to possession of methadone, a class B

drug. Mr G. K. Panckhurst appeared for the Crown, and Mr S. C. Barker for Latta.

An order suppressing the details of the manufacture of morpMne and heroin from pain killers outlined in the police statement, was made by his Honour.

During the last two years the police had prevented the importation of heroin on the scale as was previously the case, the statement said. But to overcome the shortage clandestine laboratories had been set up in New Zealand to manufacture illicit drugs and their supply had dramatically increased all over the country.

These secret laboratories set up in motel rooms, remote farmhouses and similar locations converted codeine into morphine and then it was a relatively simple process to convert it into heroin. Because of that abuse the police had become increasingly concerned and monitored the sale of analgesics from pharmacies, making it difficult for the operators of the illicit laboratories to obtain the necessary ingredients.

That action resulted in several arrests being made and the amount of illegal drugs being manufactured in the Christchurch area declined for a time.

However; because of a number of burglaries a large quantity of chemicals was obtained and the production of banned drugs increased and the Drug Squad took steps to control the situation. As a result of investigations the squad obtained a search warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act and executed it on a farmhouse in Glenmark Drive, Waipara, on the afternoon of August 3. The occupier of the premises had been charged with similar offences to Latta. When the police party got into the kitchen Latta and another person were pouring the contents of five jars down the sink before they were prevented from disposing of any other evidence. The kitchen formed an open plan living area and various paraphernalia used in the illicit manufacture of

controlled drugs had been set up. The apparatus included hoses, glass stirring rods, filter papers, a vacuum pump, as well as tablets and chemicals. On the kitchen table were scales, pre-cut pieces of tin foil, beakers and similar items which confirmed that a large-scale manufacturing operation was in progress, of a size wMch had never been discovered in Canterbury before. A D.S.I.R. scientist was called to the scene to inspect the apparatus as it had been found. Interviewed at the scene and at the Central Police Station, Latta admitted that he had been making morphine at the Waipara house. He said he had arrived. there the night before and, had begun the process on the day the police arrived.

Asked who he was manufacturing the morphine for Latta refused to say, the police statement said. On analysis the brown liquid found on the premises, including some which was recovered from the drain, contained 193 milligrams of morphine. Filter papers found on the floor were impregnated with 369 milligrams of morphine. An examination of the residue located weighed 3.9 kilograms and the scientist indicated that would have required about 6600 tablets of a substance. That number of tablets would yield a maximum of 88 grams of a chemical which could be converted to a maximum of 46 grams of morphine, according to the scientist.

On the afternoon of August 16 Latta was on remand in Addington Prison when he received a visitor and a package was passed to him. It contained .549 milligrams of methadone, a class B drug. He said it had landed in front of him and he had no idea who brought it to the prison. The price of morphine

manufactured in Christchurch was $lOO an injection and the .amount required was normally 10 to 20 milli- ;>■ grams. Latta was an unem- " ployed fisherman, said the :,; police statement. Mr Barker said that Latta " had been an addict for aI- J| most 10 years. Arrange- h ments had been made for b his admission to Queen *| Mary Hospital at Hanmer <; Springs because he was in- *’ capable of withdrawing ,ti from drugs without help. He ?! was making the drug for his own use and his offences coincided with his with-)' drawal from the methadone programme as he was not*' strong enough to resist his" t craving for narcotics. i’

Latta had a wife and ’ child and had been in cus-, tody since August 3, Mr : Barker said. 1 Mr Justice Holland said it > was established by the evi- * denee that the morphine. produced would be in the ■ vicinity of 20 grams which ; had a street value of around > $lOO,OOO which was a clear ; indication of the extent of, I his offending. ' The maximum sentence J was 14 years imprisonment » and it was the Court’s duty ’ to impose a penalty appro- | priate to the offence. Since » the police had reduced the , flow of heroin into New .< Zealand the manufacture of morphine had become J prevalent and of serious ' proportions. It was not diffi- j cult to turn it into heroin.

An example had to be ' made of Latta as he had c continued to defy the law?* In May when he had beenj: charged with precisely thee same offence he had been*, fined $2OOO and been sen-* fenced to nine months 1 periodic detention. J At that time the Judge; had told Latta that he was ' going to give Mm a final; chance and that ,he could * not expect such leniency' again and he had abused the > opportunity he had been; given, said Mr Justice Holland. •;