Man Sentenced to Over 11 Years for Importing 50kg of Meth

A man has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison for his role in a scheme to import nearly 50 kilograms of methamphetamine into New Zealand. Va’a Va’a, who faced significant financial challenges, expected to earn $100,000 for his involvement. Instead, he received a prison term of 11 years and three months after pleading guilty to a single charge of importing methamphetamine.

Va’a’s sentencing occurred in May 2025, following his initial charge in the Manukau District Court in August 2023. The court noted that his involvement in the operation was not particularly sophisticated. The drugs were hidden within boxes containing vacuum sealing equipment, with a total weight of 49.43 kilograms.

Throughout the operation, Va’a utilized a Customs “client code,” typically issued to commercial importers for clearance purposes. He actively communicated with Customs and a logistics company to track the shipments. Police uncovered a significant piece of evidence—a text message where Va’a expressed his intention to be at home to receive the consignment. This message was one of the few remaining on his phone at the time of his arrest, as he had deleted others, including communications with a man known as Pako Brendo, a pseudonym for his supervisor in the operation.

Financial pressures stemming from a failed business, which collapsed two years prior to the importation, contributed to Va’a’s decision to participate in the drug trafficking scheme. The court acknowledged that he experienced “cultural pressure” to support his family during this period.

In a letter to the court, Va’a expressed profound remorse for his actions, stating that he had disappointed his family and observed the devastating effects of methamphetamine within the Pacific Island community. “I am disappointed, disgusted and ashamed of my actions,” he wrote. He also mentioned that his family had severed ties with him since the incident and that his conviction would impede his plans to relocate to Australia for a better life.

Despite his expressions of remorse, the sentencing judge determined that Va’a’s contrition did not reflect true understanding of the gravity of his actions. The Court of Appeal later upheld this view, stating that his remorse appeared focused on the consequences of his conviction rather than the impact of his actions on others. The justices noted, “The remorse expected was focused on the circumstances Mr. Va’a found himself in and the consequences of his conviction for himself.”

Although he worked under the direction of Pako Brendo, the appeal court highlighted that Va’a played an operational role in the importation of the drugs. He arranged for the shipments to be sent to his address, coordinated with the logistics company, and used his Customs client code to monitor the clearance status of the packages. The court indicated that he likely would have participated in unpacking the vacuum sealers had police not intervened.

Va’a’s appeal against the length of his sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which reaffirmed the seriousness of his crime and the implications of his actions. The case serves as a stark reminder of the dire consequences associated with drug trafficking and the extensive legal repercussions that can follow such decisions.