Detective Sergeant Sam Buckley, Central Asset Recovery Unit Wellington:

The Wellington High Court has ordered the forfeiture of over $600,000 from a Lower Hutt man convicted of illegal gambling and money laundering.

The forfeiture order issued by Justice Peter Churchman on 29 July 2024 is the culmination of a two-year Police Asset Recovery Unit investigation, Operation Ace, into the activities of Thomas Mackay Taniwha.

In April of this year, Mr Taniwha was fined $16,500 in the Wellington District Court, following an investigation by Te Tari Taiwhenua, Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).

The charges related to high turnover poker games conducted by Mr Taniwha using both ‘in person’ and online gambling platforms. A search warrant executed by staff from the DIA and Police in February 2022 located $25,700 cash and a room outfitted for the purposes of hosting poker games.

Police and the DIA worked closely together to examine and analyse Mr Taniwha’s bank accounts. A large number of deposits were identified which were conclusively linked to illegal gambling activity. Some of these funds were subsequently transferred into the business bank account of a car dealership.

The Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act investigation resulted in a profit forfeiture order being made in relation to $619,692, the amount Police calculated as the unlawful benefit Mr Taniwha received from his offending.

The purpose of the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act is to confiscate property from persons who have engaged in, or who have profited from, significant criminal activity. To reduce the rewards from crime for individuals, and to reduce the attraction of crime to potential offenders

This should serve as a reminder that Police will continue to target those who profit from any manner of criminal offences, including those investigated and prosecuted by other enforcement agencies such as the DIA.

Police will continue to work with enforcement agencies across New Zealand to target offenders who seek to profit from their criminal offending.

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