Silk Road leads to home detention

A Manawatu man caught importing various drugs into the country hoped they would help him pay the debts he was lumped with after his flatmates left him high and dry.

Andrew Graham Hodgson was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court today to 12 months home detention, after he was caught importing psychoactive substances, methamphetamine and cannabis.

The 29-year-old used the infamous Silk Road website to import the drugs from Canada, the United States and The Netherlands.

Between July and September, Customs intercepted seven envelopes addressed to Hodgson containing 5.3 grams of methamphetamine, 10.2g of cannabis and 931 blotter tabs of psychoactive substance NDOMe. 

Hodgson was arrested as part of Operation Hydrabad, which began on September 1 this year when the first of several packages containing MDMA and methamphetamine were intercepted by Customs officers. 

Another four people were arrested as part of the operation.

Defence lawyer Steve Winter said Hodgson was flatting with students in Palmerston North, but when the students moved out they left some debts behind.

Hodgson had to pay them off, and started importing the psychoactive substance to get money together.

He ordered the cannabis because it helped with his anxiety, and the methamphetamine out of curiosity. 

Winter said Hodgson, who had no previous convictions, knew how his offending would impact him and others.

"He understands his own stupidity."

Judge Stephanie Edwards said people in Hodgson's shoes would usually face at least three-and-a-half years in prison.

But the fact he was not dealing the methamphetamine meant he could have a shorter sentence, the judge said.

He could also have credit for being frank with the police, going as far as telling them he had another delivery on the way, she said.