Last week's's speaker: Andy Bell - Undercover Cop - Part 2

... we pick up from Andy's tales he presented on 29th April [see bulletin of 6th May - it is still on the website].  He had just sorted out a anarchist mob who wanted to cause serious havoc at an upcoming Springbok tour.  The tour was stopped...

 

"I was posted back to Auckland to do standard street work, to get me back to some normality of life" Andy started off. (With "street work" he didn't refer to directing traffic - he meant "standard" detective duties, catching "normal" crims, if there is such a thing...).  But it didn't last all that long before he was posted to Wellington with the aim of infiltrating a major drug ring who were importing Hash valued in the Millions of dollars. He selected the name 'Adrian McKellar' for himself. "Always use a name which starts with the same letter as your real name.  If you need to sign something and forget that you are undercover, by the time your brain has caught up, you can complete the signature with the false name." [I'll try to remember that next time I need to use a false name... Ed.] He landed a job as a barman at the Lion Tavern, where it was suspected that a lot of the action happened.  The place was heavily frequented by Japanese sailors, and their excessive "tips" (voluntary and involuntary) were shared with the girls.  This immediately put Andy (sorry, I mean Adrian...) on the right foot with the girls who would be a very likely source of information.

 

"What you have to have is luck!" Andy declared.  He did: he got into an altercation with the bar manager (who was also heavily involved in drug imports) and consequently not only got sacked but also banned from the pub.  Yet, Andy managed to become deeply involved in the inner circle of a Hashish importing organization.  He was offered a deal to buy some $400,000 worth of the stuff.  This caused some consternation back at Police Headquarters, since $400,000 (roughly NZ$ 5 Million in today's money) in a brown paper bag was not exactly straight forward to organize, even at the top echelons of Police. [Terry Lewis or Jack Herbert in Queensland at the time may have been able to assist... ☺ Ed.] But the money was raised.  Andy was going to meet with the king pin of the syndicate at the local Cenotaph.  Upon the goods being handed over, he was to press a beeper which was to alert his colleagues who then would swoop in and arrest "everyone".  But the guy didn't want to do the hand-over at the Cenotaph.  He wanted to move to a small alley next to the hotel.  OK, so they went there - Andy pressed the beeper.  And nothing happened.  Pressed it again - still nothing. So, what does a good cop do in such a situation?  He confesses: "I'm a cop" Andy declared, "and I'm going to arrest you!".  Amazingly, the guy didn't resist or flee! But Andy needed to phone in, so they went into the pub where there was a Public Phone.  "But you are banned!" the bar manager declared.  So Andy - sorry, Adrian - arrested him as well into the bargain...

 

But the next segment was the most outrageous one of the lot.  Move over James Bond! Andy was sent to Christchurch to infiltrate a syndicate there which was suspected of importing large quantities of heroin.  And what did Andy chose as his professional cover?  To be a Gigolo...! He inveigled himself with the syndicate bosses' wife Theresa, who then invited him to spend a weekend away from the hustle and bustle. "Ok, but you'll have to pay me!" Andy retorted. That obviously was no deterrent.  "We had lots and lots to drink" Andy recounted, "and then some more.  When it came to 'do the deed', .... [in view of this bulletin possibly being read by some people who may suffer from heart complications, the rest of the story has been redacted by the Editor.]  But it seems that this did not cause any long-term damage - via the boss' wife, Andy was able to work himself into the syndicate and ultimately sprung the trap, bringing a wide circle of criminals from various backgrounds including University lecturers before the courts. 

 

There is no doubt about it: there is plenty of material there still for a 3rd segment!