Just how much did the drug importing billionaire pay for his freedom? Not a lot according to Scoop sources.
Odyssey House, the drug rehabilitation centre rumoured to have received a donation from the billionaire, today said it
had a policy of refusing to confirm or deny whether a donation was made at all and would not disclose any amounts it was
unless given permission from the donator.
A spokesman for Customs Minister Phillida Bunkle said the customs report giiven to the department also did not mention
the amount.
However Scoop sources put the amount paid at around $5,000, not a large sum considering that under the Misuse of Drugs
Act 1975 if convicted of importing a Class B Drug the maximum sentence is 14 years - without the option of a fine.
The billionare was caught with 103 grams of cannabis, of which 56 grams was of hashish (a Class B controlled substance),
the remaining 47 grams which was high quality cannabis sativa (Class C) according to Customs.
Police have played down the value of the billionaire’s stash saying it was worth NZ$650 however others have put the
value closer to $1600 dollars. The amount found substantially exceeds the 29 gram limit creating the assumption that he
intended to supply others. It was also well above the amount police normally allow for diversion of first time
offenders.
Given that the billionaire appears to have only intended a short visit it is difficult to imagine him smoking all his
stash by himself. Some estimates put the length of time for a heavy cannabis smoker to consume 103 grams at 6 months.