A Wellington-based drug supplier has had nearly $340,000 in assets confiscated, including a 42-foot yacht and high-end artwork, following a long-running police investigation. The High Court at Wellington issued the forfeiture orders on 12 February, with the accused, Kenny Leslie McMillan, potentially facing further asset seizures exceeding $2.5 million.
McMillan was the focus of Operation Superdry, a 2019 investigation led by the Wellington Organised Crime Unit into methamphetamine distribution. He was convicted after a jury trial and sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2021.
Among the assets forfeited were $168,000 in cash and bank accounts, three motor vehicles, jewellery—including a $50,000 Hublot watch—a Ralph Hotere lithograph, and a 42-foot Silverton 330 sport launch.
A profit forfeiture order of $2.758 million was also imposed, allowing authorities to seize additional assets acquired through his criminal activity.
McMillan’s syndicate used vehicles with hidden compartments to transport methamphetamine from Auckland to Wellington, concealing the drugs in parking buildings for cash exchanges. His associate, Robert Jason Taui, was also convicted and sentenced to over nine years in prison. Taui was ordered to forfeit nearly $54,000 in cash and assets in March 2024, with a $1.38 million profit forfeiture order against him.
Detective Sergeant Sam Buckley emphasised that police will continue to use both criminal and civil proceedings to strip organised crime groups of their illicit wealth.
“One of the primary reasons that organised crime exists is to make money,” Buckley said. “This result will have a direct impact on the perception that those who commit crime can profit from it.”
Police remain committed to dismantling organised crime operations and preventing offenders from benefiting financially from illegal activities.