Seaman acquitted on hash import charge
PA New Plymouth British seaman, Henry Graham, was yesterday acquitted on a charge involving the importation of $700,000 worth of hashish after a three day trial over New Zealand’s largest hashish seizing. The jury in the trial, before Mr Justice Hillyer in the High Court at New Plymouth, took 3i/ 2 hours to reach its verdict.
Graham, aged 43, had denied importing the class B drug into New Plymouth in the vessel New Zealand Star on or about September 26 last year. The Court was told how a customs search revealed 12 large blocks of hashish aboard the ship. The blocks weighted a total of 11.71 kg and had a street value of more than $700,000. The crown prosecutor, Mr John Laurenson, said it was thought to be the largest find in New Zealand. . ~ :
Evidence in the trial centred on fingerprints of Graham which were found on plastic bags wrapped around the hashish.
In summing up, His Honour said that defence counsel, Mr Mike Bungay, of Wellington, claimed there was a perfectly innocent explanation for the fingerprints. As the ship’s bosun, it was Graham’s duty to handle and distribute the bags throughout the ship. The jury had to decide how the fingerprints got on the bags and whether they contained hashish at the time the accused handled them.
Other fingerprints found on the bags did not correspond with any of the 33 crew members who were fingerprinted.
His Honour said it was for the jury to decide whether the accused was
involved in the importation of hashish.
“It may have been the accused on his own or there may be others involved,” he said. “The accused may be part of a team.”
Earlier, the Court was told that Graham had decided in August this would be his last trip.
The accused , had written to his wife in England, saying he would have enough money when he returned to refurnish their house and for a trip to Brazil.
His Honour said the defence claimed Graham intended to use his severance pay.
If the accused had lied it; did not necessarily mean he was guilty of the offence.
“Lies are sometimes told to cheer people up,” he said.
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Press, 28 February 1986, Page 4
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372Seaman acquitted on hash import charge Press, 28 February 1986, Page 4
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