Hannah Bartlett
Open Justice reporter - Tauranga·NZ Herald·

Monica Taiatini, 30, has been sentenced for cannabis offending, arising out of police’s Operation Highwater, which targeted drug-offending and gang activity related to the Mongrel Mob Barbarians.

The daughter of slain Mongrel Mob Barbarians Ōpōtiki president Steven Taiatini has been sentenced for cannabis dealing.

Details of Monica Taiatini’s background were taken into account in court as a judge considered what the appropriate outcome would be.

The 30-year-old’s exposure to gang culture, parental substance abuse and abuse, parental incarceration, family violence and exposure to criminal offending were all considered to have a causal nexus on her own criminal actions.

She was caught up in Operation Highwater, in which the police’s National Organised Crime Group surveilled a network of Mongrel Mob Barbarians in a targeted drug-supply operation.

On October 22, 2024, police carried out more than 30 search warrants and arrested 28 people connected to the East Bay Barbarians.

Police also estimated they restrained assets totalling $800,000.

The operation targeted the supply of methamphetamine, cannabis cultivation and supply, and a planned shooting at a rival gang tangi.

Taiatini was arrested as part of the operation and faced charges of participating in an organised criminal group, offering to sell cannabis, and possession of cannabis for sale.

At her sentencing last week, Tauranga District Court heard that after being charged, Taiatini had reportedly been prompted to “rethink her behaviour” and had, of her own volition, stopped using cannabis and alcohol.

Judge Melinda Mason noted that the death of Taiatini’s father was “another moment in your life that made you take note and stop”.

Police allege Steven Taiatini was fatally struck by a vehicle on St John St, Ōpōtiki, after an altercation on the evening of June 9, 2023. Two people have been charged with his murder.

Steven Taiatini’s wife, Pauline, and two of the couple’s other children are also charged in relation to Operation Highwater but deny their charges.

According to the summary of facts, on May 27, 2024, Monica Taiatini phoned an associate and asked her whether “you wanna buy an elbow?”, being a pound, or 453g of cannabis.

On July 7, 2024, the defendant phoned another associate and asked if he was interested in selling 2.2kg of cannabis for $2600 per pound.

The associate declined, instead offering that Taiatini supply the cannabis herself, and she agreed.

The quantity of cannabis involved across the balance of the offending was about 2.6kg.

Taiatini was given a sentence indication in November last year, in which Judge Anna-Marie Skellern gave a starting point of 30 months’ imprisonment.

Judge Skellern said the Crown submitted that the aggravating features of premeditation, quantity and commerciality were all present.

However, the Crown was also careful not to overstate the level of commerciality.

There was little evidence of ongoing commercial activity beyond the isolated offer to supply.

The Crown suggested a starting point between two years and six months and three years’ imprisonment was appropriate.

Taiatini’s lawyer, Jaiden Manera, argued for a starting point of two-and-a-half years and submitted that Taiatini’s communications were limited in scope and there was no evidence of ongoing supply or financial gain.

Taiatini accepted the sentence indication of 30 months’ imprisonment, and in the Tauranga District Court it was up to the judge to decide what discounts or uplifts were appropriate.

Judge Mason said while it was clear things were “going in the right direction” for Taiatini in terms of her rehabilitative efforts, she wouldn’t give a discount for that factor.

However, she would take it into account when considering whether to commute the sentence to one of home detention.

The same approach was taken when considering Taiatini’s personal circumstances – specifically the fact she has three children.

Judge Mason said from what she had read, Taiatini was a “really good mum” who gave her children a lot of attention.

“You are fully supportive of all of their endeavours and activities, and they are doing really well, so that is all acknowledged.”

Taiatini was given a 25 percent discount for her guilty plea and a 10 percent discount for her background factors, which resulted in an end sentence of 19-and-a-half months’ imprisonment.

This was commuted to a sentence of nine-and-a-half months’ home detention, with six months’ post-detention conditions.

She was prohibited from consuming alcohol and drugs and ordered to do any rehabilitative courses directed by Corrections.