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Gregory Jason Martin bought 1.4kg of methamphetamine in the country, hidden in the lining of his suitcase. (File photo)
An “unusually naive and gullible man” brought 1.4 kg of methamphetamine to New Zealand after he was fooled by scammers, it was revealed.
The case of Gregory Jason Martin was set out in a ruling released by the Court of Appeal on Friday.
Martin was persuaded by scammers to travel to Thailand to sign some papers. In return, they told him, he would be paid US $ 10.5 million (about NZ $ 16.95 million).
He was also told to bring a suitcase with “gifts” back to New Zealand. That bag contained 1.4 kg of meth, which would have had a street value of between $ 188,000 and $ 280,000.
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The drugs were seized upon his arrival at Auckland International Airport and Martin was charged with importing methamphetamine.
RNZ
New Zealanders have lost $ 23 million in scams over the past 18 months, with the majority of victims remaining silent that they have been deceived. (Video first published in October 2020).
After a trial at Manukau District Court, he was convicted and sentenced to five years and six months in prison.
Martin appealed both his conviction and sentence to the Court of Appeal.
His decision showed that Martin’s involvement with the scammers was started by an email from the “Nigeria Payment Review Unit”, which says he is a “beneficiary” and entitled to millions of dollars.
“This email could hardly have been a more obvious scam … but it seems Mr Martin took it at face value,” Judge David Goddard wrote.
Martin, who described Judge Goddard as an “unusually naive and gullible man”, was concerned that the bag contained drugs.
“If it is dull and illegal, I do not want anything to do with it,” he told the scammers.
Chris McKeen / Stuff
Gregory Martin was sentenced in the Manukau District Court to five years and six months in prison. (File photo)
“It kept me awake most of the night thinking about it, all I want to do is sign the documents and go home.”
The scammers reassured Martin everything is “legally free”. He also searched the suitcase but found no drugs inside.
Despite his fears, he entered New Zealand, where customs officials found the meth hidden in the lining of the bag. He then came clean about what had happened.
In the sentencing of Martin, Judge Soana Moala said he was “reckless” about whether the bag contained drugs.
However, given the coercion involved and a psychiatrist’s report that showed Martin was vulnerable to scams due to stress he faced, the judge gave him a sentence at the bottom of the scale.
On appeal, Martin’s lawyer argued that he was a victim of human trafficking for forced criminal activities, and so it was not to blame. He also came clean as soon as he was questioned.
Judge Goddard said Martin did not want to carry drugs or know he was doing so.
His share in the criminal enterprise was short and unplanned.
“He deserves some guilt for his actions in those few hours. “But also, given his demonstrated naivety and lack of sophistication and the pressure he was under, considerable sympathy,” the judge said.
The Court of Appeal dismissed Martin’s appeal against conviction.
However, it destroyed his previous prison sentence and replaced it with a two-year sentence to acknowledge his vulnerability and the limited role he played in the operation.
The decision also noted if Martin had pleaded guilty instead of choosing to be tried – a decision he described as “bizarre” as he confessed – he might have avoided jail altogether.