A Christchurch couple took turns to look after their 6-week-old baby while "pseudo shopping" in Alexandra, Wanaka and Queenstown earlier this year.
Damien Lee Whitlow (29), and his partner, Vikki Sharon Ward (27), admitted six and nine charges respectively before Judge Dominic Flatley in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.
Whitlow is charged with dishonestly using a document, a driver's licence in the name of Falco Kara, to commit a crime at Alexandra, Wanaka and Queenstown on April 23 and 24.
He also faces three charges of possessing a precursor substance, namely pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, intending the substance be used for the commission of an offence against the Misuse of Drugs Act, namely to manufacture any controlled drug, on April 23 and 24 at Alexandra, Wanaka and Queenstown.
Whitlow was remanded in custody to appear for sentence in the Invercargill District Court on September 24.
Ward admitted five charges of possessing a precursor at Waimate, Alexandra, Wanaka and Queenstown and four charges of using a document, a driver's licence in the name of Amelia Florence Stuart, dishonestly and without claim of right, to commit a crime, on April 23 and 24. She was remanded on bail.
Prosecuting Sergeant Grant Gerken said about 40 over-the-counter pharmacy medicines contained pseudoephedrine.
People who went on "shopping sprees", targeting those medicines, were known as "pseudo shoppers".
Whitlow and Ward travelled to the area on April 23 with their 6-week-old baby, to purchase pseudoephedrine products used to manufacture methamphetamine (P).
Whitlow had altered the driver's licence for Mr Kara and replaced the photograph with one of his own, while Ward had done the same thing with the licence for Ms Stuart.
Sgt Gerken said Ward entered a pharmacy at Waimate on April 23 and purchased a pack of Codral cold and flu medication, while Whitlow waited in the car with their child.
The pair continued to Alexandra, where Whitlow purchased a pack of Codral, while Ward waited in the car with the baby.
Ward then repeated her offending at another pharmacy in Alexandra, before they drove to Wanaka. The couple alternated their offending again in Wanaka before heading to Queenstown.
Ward first entered a pharmacy at Frankton and repeated the offending, Whitlow then bought another 24 tablets from the same pharmacy.
The pair headed back to Queenstown, where Ward re-offended, before driving out to Remarkables Park, where she attempted to buy more tablets.
Sgt Gerken said Ward was asked for identification, so handed over Ms Stuart's licence. On being challenged, she ran from the store. Police were called and a search warrant was executed, but no packaging, tablets or the licences were recovered.
Judge Flatley said Whitlow had a serious criminal history, including two terms of imprisonment on drugs-related charges.