Marty Johnstone

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Marty Johnstone (1951-1979) was a New Zealand drug trafficker. He was dubbed Mr Asia by the Auckland Star newspaper in August 1978 in a series of articles by Pat Booth who based his opinions on pub talk.He misidentified Johnstone as Mr Asia,which lead directly to his murder,after Australian police advice to get rid of Johnstone before he could expose Australian officials involved in the drug trade.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Drug dealing 3 Mr Asia 4 Murder 5 References

[edit] Early life

Christopher Martin Johnstone was born in 1951 in South Auckland, New Zealand.Most of his early years were spent in Devonport where he worked in his parents dairy when a teenager.

After leaving school he worked on a farm and then as a salesman at 'Collars and Cuffs' menswear store in Queen Street, Auckland where he sold drugs on a small scale.

[edit] Drug dealing

In 1974 he found a contact, a ship steward, who would bring 'thai sticks' into New Zealand from South East Asia, throwing them off the ship before it docked in Auckland, where Johnstone would collect them in a speedboat. He prospered at this activity and soon attracted the attention of the New Zealand Police as his lifestyle was hardly supported by his job as a menswear salesman.

Also in 1974 he met Terry Clark and commenced a mutually profitable business association for the next 5 years.

In 1975 Johnstone and Peter Miller formed several legitimate Companies Milltone Investments Ltd, Milltone Holdings Ltd, Milltone Charters Ltd and Milltone Glass Tinting Ltd. They used Millton Charters Ltd to buy a 55 ft yacht, the Brigadoon,from Johnstone's father[paid for by Miller from his legitimate business] which was sailed to Thailand by Miller.Johnstone meet the yacht in Bangkok and they arranged the purchase of 500,000 Thai sticks with the help of Thai Police and imported into New Zealand.

This trip, which was not without incident and delays, made Johnstone little money and he left NewZealand owing Miller $30,000 in 1976. After an extended holiday in Europe and South East Asia Johnstone decided to live in Singapore from then on.

[edit] Mr Asia

While based in Singapore he set up another front Company called Cross and Mercer Ltd and his associates set up drug importing operations in Australia. During 1976 and 1977 they were very successful, especially when they switched from thai sticks to heroin.

Johnstone would organise the purchase of heroin in South East Asia and his associates Terry Clark, Peter Fulcher and others would import it into Australia and New Zealand for distribution.

Johnstone lived the high life whilst in Singapore and also lived well beyond his means, despite the huge profits from Heroin, which led to various problems by 1978.

In 1979 Johnstone, by this time desperately short of ready money after years of high living, was well known to Drug Enforcement authorities in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore. He lost $250,000 of Terry Clarks' money in a botched drug ripoff and was a marked man.

[edit] Murder

In October 1979, he was lured to Britain on the pretext of a drug deal to take place in Scotland and was murdered by his best friend, and his body dumped in Eccleston Delph in Lancashire. His hands and teeth were mutilated in a hasty attempt to foil identification by the police.

After 5 years and millions of dollars in profits, all Marty Johnstone had left at the time of his death was a Patek Philippe watch and $200 in cash.

[edit] References

"Greed: The Mr Asia Connection", by Richard Hall (ISBN 1-74124-328-9)

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