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JnEverett

Cannabis available at shop, court told
Takeaways from a Te Puke shop near two of the Bay of Plenty town' schools extended to drugs, Tauranga District Court was told yesterday.
11-01-06 l Stuff

Shop manager Robyn Rangitawa Potene, 43, pleaded guilty before Judge Russell Callender to three charges of selling cannabis and one of offering to supply the class C controlled drug.

Prosecutor Sergeant Roy Blomkamp said police had mounted a short- term special investigation code-named Operation Paua in June, stemming from continuing concerns by Te Puke people over the sale and supply of illicit drugs from Cameron Road Takeaways.

He said cannabis had become more freely available and they wanted to identify the persons involved in dealing it.

The takeaway food premises were directly opposite Te Puke High School and only a short distance from Te Puke Primary School.

A detective visited the shop about 2.30pm on June 20 and talked to Potene about the possibility of buying a "tinnie" (a small amount of cannabis, usually 1-2gms, wrapped in tinfoil).

She said she did not have any but he would be able to "score" from her home address.

Potene told him to come back at 3pm. There was further discussion about the detective buying a bag of cannabis for $300.

He went back later as agreed and the defendant disappeared to the rear of the building, returning with a cannabis tinnie in exchange for $20, said Mr Blomkamp.

The detective arranged to make further purchases, going there again two days later.

Potene was cooking over the vats and said she did not have a bag of cannabis but could get it by 1pm, adding she could get as much as was wanted.

Before leaving, the officer bought another $20 tinnie, which the defendant produced from a purple plastic container that looked like a milkshake holder.

That afternoon, when the detective and a constable entered the shop. Potene immediately went out the back and returned with a purple plastic cup in the shape of a milkshake container. She opened it and produced a tinnie, revealing a plastic snaplock bag of cannabis.

Asked by the detective if that was the $300 supply they had earlier talked about, the defendant said "yeah, that's part of it."

She pulled the bag out and unrolled it flat in her hands underneath the counter for them to see, out of public view.

"I can get as much of it as you want. I get this for $250, sell it to you for $300."

The two officers arranged to buy two bags of cannabis the following morning. However, the operation was terminated and a search warrant executed at the defendant's work and home addresses, said Mr Blomkamp.

Police found no drugs of any description.

When interviewed, Potene said she had never sold drugs from her shop before and only did so due to feeling pressured by the detective.

A court order was sought for reparation of $60, the sum paid for the drugs.

Potene's lawyer, Paul Mabey QC, asked to have bail continued, although Judge Callender said:"Any selling really is going to put her in prison."

Mr Mabey: "Not necessarily."

He indicated he would make relevant submissions at sentencing.

"You obviously know more," said the judge, agreeing to give Potene "the benefit of the doubt."

He remanded her, with bail to be reset, for a pre-sentence report and sentencing on December 8.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of eight years imprisonment.