While not charged with drug offences, Police had proceeds-of-crime restraining orders placed on four Auckland properties valued at $3.7 million registered in Richelle Jean Whitehouse’s name, claiming the properties were ‘tainted’ by reason of her alleged laundering of drug profits generated by family members, with one of the properties to be sold by court order.
Her son, daughter and estranged husband all have convictions for drug-related offending.
Ms Whitehouse herself has prior convictions for cultivation and supply of cannabis.
The High Court was told of a 2022 police raid discovering a methamphetamine lab and over $150,000 cash on a property in Waitakere owned by Ms Whitehouse.
Further investigation identified over $1.18 million of unexplained cash deposits in her bank accounts over a seven year period with some $880,000 transferred from unknown third parties.
Police had restraining orders placed on properties registered in her name at Waitakere, South Head and two in Glen Eden.
The High Court subsequently approved an agreed Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act sale of the South Head property, intended to realise $748,000 to be held pending a further court-approved profit forfeiture order.
BNZ Bank was dragged into court proceedings by reason of Ms Whitehouse’s bank borrowings being securitised across all four properties.
The Bank agreed to lift its mortgage from the South Head property prior to sale; security adjusted over the remaining three.
It was agreed that after recovery of the agreed $748,000, restraining orders will be lifted from these other three properties.
Commissioner of Police v. Whitehouse – High Court (12.06.25)
26.177