A man who skipped bail before his trial on major drug charges in 2005 has been arrested in Whangarei.
Peter Reyland, 41, was to have been one of the main players in a drug gang trial in the Hamilton High Court in April 2005.
The trial ran for four months and four days, the Northern Advocate reported today.
Reyland and three others were found guilty in their absence of conspiring to manufacture and supply methamphetamine and heroin.
But Reyland fled before the trial and was not sentenced as many of the gang were. Gang leaders Richard McFall and his wife, Nadia, were sentenced to 11 years and 10 years jail respectively.
This week Reyland was arrested in Whangarei on unrelated matters, and yesterday in the High Court Justice Rodney Hansen remanded him in custody to appear in Hamilton on October 30 for sentencing by Justice John Priestley, who sentenced the drug gang in 2005.
The McFalls and nine other people were found guilty by a jury and jailed.
All involved in the massive drugs operation were nabbed after police spent months intercepting text messages and calls.
