By: Jared Savage
Investigative reporter, NZ Herald
His fraudulent crimes have been described by a judge as ‘predatory’, ‘insidious’, ‘recidivist’ and ‘amoral’. Another judge called his evidence on drug smuggling charges ‘absurd’. Now the DEA wants to extradite the 62-year-old from Auckland to the United States to face drug trafficking charges alongside one of NZ’s first meth cooks, and members of the Hells Angels from Auckland and Romania. Jared Savage reports.
An Auckland man wanted by American drug enforcers for allegedly conspiring to import cocaine, after an investigation into the Hells Angels gang in Romania, has a long criminal history as an “insidious” fraudster and drug smuggler.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has sought the extradition of Miles John McKelvy – who is not a member of the motorcycle gang – to face drug trafficking charges in the United States with two other New Zealanders who were arrested in Romania two weeks ago.
Marc Patrick Johnson and Michael Murray Matthews, both New Zealand citizens, were arrested with the president of the Bucharest chapter of the Hells Angels.
The pair were caught in a sting operation in dramatic footage captured on a drone-mounted thermal image camera.
Matthews is a patched member of the Hells Angels in New Zealand and Johnson has a long history of methamphetamine manufacture.
After their arrests the DEA asked New Zealand police to arrest the 62-year-old McKelvy as part of the alleged conspiracy to import cocaine into New Zealand.
McKelvy appeared briefly in the Auckland District Court on Friday afternoon, clean-shaven and wearing a black, short-sleeved shirt.
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Lawyers representing the United States were in court, where McKelvy was remanded in custody until December 14 for a bail application.
In the usual circumstances, someone’s criminal history will not be reported while they face active charges so as to not prejudice their right to a fair trial.
However, if the extradition application is successful McKelvy will stand trial on the drugs charges in the US and not New Zealand. For this reason, the Herald on Sunday has chosen to report McKelvy’s lengthy criminal history.
