Man loses drug ring sentence appeal

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A man involved in one of New Zealand's largest methamphetamine smuggling rings has had his application to appeal against his conviction and sentence of life imprisonment declined.

The Supreme Court, in a decision issued yesterday, said there was no appearance of any miscarriage of justice against Wei Feng Pan.

He and three others involved in the ring had their prison terms dramatically increased by the Court of Appeal last year.

They were part of a group of five whose activities unravelled when the final two of six shipping containers from China containing 250kg of methamphetamine and pseudoephedrine were intercepted by police in 2006.

Concealed in bulk industrial goods, the combined street value of the two drugs was estimated at $138 million.

Wei was involved in travelling between China and New Zealand, setting up a company here, opening bank accounts, and arranging office space for their activities.

He was jailed for 12 years in December 2008, following a trial at the High Court at Auckland.

The Court of Appeal later dismissed his appeal against conviction and 12-year jail term, increasing the sentence to life imprisonment.

The Supreme Court yesterday declined his application to further appeal against the conviction and sentence.

- NZPA