New Zealand Case Law: Decisions & Judgments | LexChat

New Zealand Case Law

Tariff bands for methamphetamine (zhang)
  • 12 Feb 2021

    R v WILKINSON [2021] NZHC 185

    Citation
    [2021] NZHC 185
    Court
    High Court

    Defendant's possession of 193kg of methamphetamine places offending in Zhang band five; role assessed as 'lesser' but significant custodial function justifies a high starting point of 22 years; applying a total 20% mitigation discount (10% for first offender/good character, 5% foreign national hardship, 5% COVID/family separation) yields an end sentence of 17 years 6 months; a minimum period of imprisonment of seven years (40%) is necessary given the commercial scale, deterrence and denunciation objectives; forfeiture ordered under s32 Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.