Auckland (Avneet Kaur) A man described in court as operating one of the largest drug importation and distribution networks seen in recent years has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following a major nationwide investigation known as Operation Whoosh.
Jamie Mannion appeared in the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday after police and Customs uncovered what authorities described as a highly sophisticated drug empire involving methamphetamine, MDMA, ketamine, cocaine and LSD.
Crown prosecutors told the court Mannion sat “at the top of the pyramid”, running the operation like a business using encrypted technology, cryptocurrency, fake identification documents, multiple mobile phones and dark web marketplaces.
Investigators said the operation involved thousands of wholesale and retail drug transactions carried out through online “darknet” vendor sites.
The court heard there were 55 confirmed drug imports into New Zealand during the year leading up to March 2024, including around 42 kilograms of MDMA, 10 kilograms of ketamine and 2 kilograms of cocaine.
According to the court, the imported MDMA alone carried an estimated street value of around $12 million, while the ketamine was valued at approximately $3.2 million and the cocaine around $700,000.
Judge Raoul Neave described the operation as one of the largest and most organised drug importation networks he had encountered.
The court heard Mannion, who lived in Tauranga, used multiple methods to move drugs around the country.
One method allegedly involved using online tasking websites where people unknowingly or indirectly assisted by receiving packages in exchange for Prezzy cards and payments.
Authorities also said legitimate courier and delivery businesses were used to transport drug parcels throughout New Zealand.
Judge Neave said detailed spreadsheets were maintained to track parcels, buyers and sellers, while encrypted messages uncovered during the investigation included claims that Mannion was the “top vendor” in New Zealand.
The court also heard several young people became involved in the operation after initially purchasing drugs before later assisting with sales and distribution.
Crown prosecutor Will Taffs described parts of the offending as predatory, saying teenagers had effectively been drawn deeper into the network over time.
The judge agreed with that assessment, stating there were elements of grooming and entrapment involving younger associates already serving prison sentences linked to the case.
During sentencing, Mannion’s lawyer said his client had struggled with heavy drug use and had accepted responsibility for the offending, expressing remorse for what had happened.
However, the judge said the operation was clearly deliberate, highly planned and financially motivated.
Separate financial investigations by police also identified approximately $182,000 in unexplained income allegedly linked to the operation, including cash deposits, direct bank credits and cryptocurrency-related transactions.
Some of that money was reportedly used toward mortgage payments on a Tauranga property.
Police had earlier obtained High Court restraining orders preventing disposal of certain assets, including property interests, bank funds and cryptocurrency connected to the investigation.
