Ethan Smith was remanded on bail on condition he not travel within 10km of the West Coast. Photo: Staff photographer A Dunedin man arrested last year after police seized a huge haul of pounamu has finally been charged in relation to the taonga. Ethan Tabai Smith, 29, was originally charged only with obstructing police in December, but he came before the Dunedin District Court yesterday on a slew of new counts. In a statement last year, police heralded the seizure of 820kg of allegedly stolen pounamu, which they said was being "brazenly paraded" for sale. According to court documents, the defendant received $1410 of the greenstone in Greymouth in September 2025. Smith, who drives one of the most conspicuous vehicles in the city, which features colourful handwritten slogans taking aim at the police and other agencies, was also accused of stealing and damaging a Ngai Tahu sign, worth more than $1000, in Haast last month. Last week, police allegedly found a round of .22 ammunition in the defendant’s possession and, additionally, he was charged with breaching the Search and Surveillance Act by failing to allow officers to access digital devices. No pleas were entered yesterday and Judge David Robinson granted bail with a range of conditions. Among them were: • Not to go within 10km of the West Coast region. • Not to contact a named witness or any members of Ngai Tahu. • Not to use violence or threaten violence towards any person or property. • Not to fossick for greenstone in any South Island rivers. • To live at a Dunedin address. Smith is due to return to court for a hearing next month. rob.kidd@odt.co.nz
