A man arrested in December 2006 as part of a year-long investigation into methamphetamine possessors and suppliers and who was due in the Auckland High Court for trial on February 16, is being sought by Police after absconding on February 8 while in the care of his lawyer.
Di Wu - also known as Elvis - is a 25 year-old Chinese national who was charged on December 7, 2006, with conspiracy to supply and supplying a Class A drug. Mr Wu was subsequently granted bail and was due for High Court trial with a co-accused on February 16 this year.
On February 2, just days before the trial was due to get underway, Mr Wu breached his bail conditions and was subsequently arrested. He appeared in the Auckland High Court on February 4 when one of his lawyers, Ron Mansfield, made an application for Mr Wu to be bailed.
On February 5 the High Court judge presiding declined bail and remanded Mr Wu into the custody of the Auckland Central Police Station, on the proviso he would be granted off-site access to his lawyers - unsupervised by Police - for four hours a day in order that he, Mr Wu, could privately instruct them in his Shortland St chambers.
On February 8, Mr Mansfield informed Police that Mr Wu had absconded a short time earlier, during the course of that day's access visit. Mr Wu is still at large and there is a warrant for his arrest.
Mr Wu's disappearance and the resultant warrant for his arrest were suppressed by the Court for the duration of the High Court trial of his co-accused, 25 year-old Chen Wei Huang, which went ahead on February 16 and concluded earlier today. The jury convicted Mr Huang of six counts of supplying the Class A controlled drug methamphetamine in October 2006, the total amount supplied having a street value exceeding $2 million. He will appear in the Auckland High Court on May 8 for sentencing.
Anyone with information about Di Wu's whereabouts should contact the Police Officer in charge of the case, Detective Sergeant Lloyd Schmid, on 09 259 0719.