We never tire to listen to our incoming President Andy Bell. Last Wednesday, as our scheduled guest speaker from the Pancare Foundation was unable to make it (again), Andy jumped into the breach and regaled us with amusing stories from his early days in the New Zealand Police Force, in 1969.. "In those days, there were height and weight limits applied. I was a skinny bloke, weighing 10 1/2 stone (too light), with a chest circumference of 34" (too small). Then we got to pick up our uniform. Nothing fitted..." In short, Andy ended up (in civilian clothes) as an Undercover Cop. So, here goes...What do you call a Policeman in bed? An undercover cop.... [ok, I know, I'm asking for it... ☺ Ed.]. But that is exactly what it would appear Andy's job was. He got his first assignment to go undercover, with a princely expense allowance of $50 and a direct phone number to the head of the Drug Squad. Assignment: to crack a major drug importing gang. But we are getting ahead of the story: Andy, at the time a uniformed policeman, had a small problem to go undercover: his hair was cut short, in typical policeman's style. But, in the late sixties and early seventies depicted you to be either Army or Police. Unless... Andy gave himself out to have deserted from the British Army. (The problem soon fixed itself - see photo!) Adopting the name of Adrian McKellar (always ensure your first name initial is the same as your real name!), he had found himself at the Waterloo Hotel, where he managed to attract serious interest from a barmaid, who worked at the pub that was suspected to be a major hub of the trade. That then led to attracting the head lady of the organization named Jennifer Ann Wilkinson, who "appropriated" him entirely for herself... Nicknamed 'The Hiker', his initial deployment within the gang was to shoplift "to order". Yup, place your order for whatever you want, and Andy's gang would procure it. Earnings: about $1,200 a trip - in 1971 (wages were about $90.00 a week then).
Not long after Andy graduated to distributing 
'Buddha Sticks'. They were imported in 44 Gallon Drums, dumped outside the harbour from the importing ship and picked up by small vessels. His cut: $1 per stick- which earned him a cool $30,000 a year when his annual salary was about $10,000! Ultimately, Andy got the entire gang arrested...
'Buddha Sticks'. They were imported in 44 Gallon Drums, dumped outside the harbour from the importing ship and picked up by small vessels. His cut: $1 per stick- which earned him a cool $30,000 a year when his annual salary was about $10,000! Ultimately, Andy got the entire gang arrested...There is much more to the story! Andy has written a book about it: 'Adrenalin Rush - The Adventures of an Undercover Cop'. (it used to be available on Amazon, but checking just now, it is "temporarily out of stock'). If you ask nicely, Andy might be able to procure you a copy.