PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES A Dunedin man tried to import class-A substances to his mother’s home in the name of his dead grandmother, a court has heard. Trevor Jones, 32, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week where he pleaded guilty to an array of drug charges. In July last year, Jones arranged for a package containing 15g of cocaine to be sent from Canada, addressed to a house next door to his 59-year-old mother Bronwyn, under a fictitious name. The consignment was intercepted by Customs but the defendant forged on, court documents showed. Several months later, Jones ordered another parcel from Canada. This time, he had it sent directly to his mum’s home, addressed to his dead grandmother. On that occasion, he was even less successful. Canadian authorities seized the package and discovered 391g of methamphetamine concealed inside a supplement container. Police found Jones in the passenger seat of a vehicle in King Edward St on November 24. He was taken to the station for an interview but once he left the patrol car, officers found he had discarded items wrapped in plastic in the vehicle’s footwell. One held 28g of meth, the other 19g of cocaine. Jones had $4380 cash in his pockets. He appeared in court on the drug charges and was remanded in custody but not even a jail stint was enough to thwart his illegal endeavours. Just days after Jones’ arrest, he called his mother — a conversation which was automatically recorded — and instructed her to gather several of his cellphones. The defendant gave her the PIN codes and instructed her to use encrypted apps to send a message. ‘‘Nothing showed, I’m out of pocket, brother can you please reimburse even half of the paid amount, or resend,’’ it said. Jones told his mother to provide a specific address along with the name of her mother, and told her to keep the phones with her ‘‘at all times’’. In December police raided the home and during a search of the roof space, found a sawn-off .22 rifle and nine rounds of ammunition, all wrapped in blankets and plastic. ‘‘The rifle itself was heavily rusted but could have easily been restored to working condition,’’ a Crown summary said. The following month, Canadian authorities intercepted a final package — addressed as Jones had directed — bearing 221g of methamphetamine. This week Jones also admitted being party to the theft of an $11,000 necklace from a jeweller in a Dunedin mall. He had tried to negotiate a price for the 9-carat, 55cm item in 2023 but been unable to haggle the price down. On February 12, 2024, Jones and an unidentified associate were captured on CCTV entering the mall together. The court heard the other man entered the store first, followed by the defendant two minutes later. Jones asked to look at the necklace and when the staff member turned away, the associate swiped it and fled. When police arrested the defendant on the drug charges in November last year, they noticed he was wearing a chain similar to the one stolen. The store confirmed it appeared to be the same item taken 21 months earlier but there seemed to have been some modifications. Another jeweller confirmed to police they had made the alterations at the request of a customer named Trevor. Jones will be sentenced in August. His mother was charged with conspiring to import methamphetamine but the charge against her was withdrawn at the prosecution’s request this week. rob.kidd@odt.co.nz
