An Australian hairdresser linked to the Comanchero Motorcycle Club who crossed the Tasman to sell drugs after borrowing money and owing a favour has been declined parole.
He Sha was jailed for three years in June for conspiring to deal in pseudoephedrine.
Judge Claire Ryan said Sha, a Sydney man originally from China, blamed financial pressure for his attempts to sell the methamphetamine precursor.
The 34-year-old appeared for his first parole hearing in September as he had spent 283 days on remand.
In the decision released to Stuff, the board said it was worried about Sha’s safety if he was released.
The board was concerned about Sha’s involvement with the Comancheros and how he had contact with others in the network.
However, Sha told the board he did not fear for his safety, planned to go back to living a normal life and had strategies in place to ensure he would not be tempted to offend again.
“He said he has spoken with the police about who he understands the boss to be and he does not know where he is,” the decision said.
However, the board found the risk was still undue and declined parole.
Inside prison, Sha had completed two problem gambling courses.
Once released, Sha told the board he planned to return to Australia and live a normal life with his wife, who had returned to work and will support the family.
Sha told the board that at the time of the offending he borrowed money from one of his customers because his mother was ill and his wife was pregnant.
The person who lent him money is one of his co-offenders and the deal was if Sha completed the drug deal his debt would be forgiven in full, the report said.
Earlier this month, Pasilika Naufahu, the president of the New Zealand chapter of the Comanchero MC, was found guilty, along with Connor Clausen, of conspiring to supply pseudoephedrine alongside Sha.
A video, taken by police, was played to the court showing the brother of a man who the Crown says is at the “heart of the case” and Sha meeting with Clausen.
In a recording played to the court, the man can be heard getting frustrated with Sha talking about a “deal” that he can make nearly half a million dollars from.
The man goes on to tell Sha about the “richest man in the country” who has a billion dollars.
The board was advised Immigration New Zealand was working on a deportation order, however a decision had not yet been reached.
Sha will appear before the board again in December.
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Source: Stuff