Assets
totalling nearly $4.5 million were forfeit as proceeds of crime after Operation
Ghost broke open a Chinese run pseudoephedrine ring.
Zhi Wei Yang fled New Zealand in November
2013 as police closed in on his ContactNT wholesale operation. He left behind substantial assets held in his
own name and the names of his current and former wives.
The High Court was told Mr Yang had a
modest income but spent substantial sums at Sky City casino and was living well
beyond his apparent means. His wife,
Chao Ying Chen, took control of her spouse’s drug operations after he left the
country. Ms Chen was receiving social
welfare benefits at a time when she had thousands of dollars in bank accounts
under her control and owned two properties, mortgage free. Police inquiries discovered that Mr Yang’s
former wife was living in Australia but large deposits were being made into a
New Zealand bank account in her name. Assets
were frozen.
The High Court approved a settlement
negotiated between the Crown and lawyers acting for Mr Yang and Ms Chen
forfeiting most of the frozen assets to the Crown: bank accounts with BNZ, ASB,
ANZ and Kiwibank plus Auckland properties in Penney Avenue Mt Roskill, Nash
Road Mt Roskill, Canal Road Avondale and Nikau Street New Lynn. Jewellery of sentimental value for Ms Chen
was returned and $155,000 was released for payment of legal fees.
Commissioner
of Police v. Yang & Chen – High Court (5.05.16)
16.074