Key Takeaways
- Devery supplied cannabis oil via Facebook under the page “CBD New Zealand”.
- Between October 2023 and October 2024 she served roughly 521 customers, receiving about NZ$32,400; a later period added ~57 customers and NZ$4,500.
- More than half of her business involved illegal cannabis oil, leading to representative charges.
- She was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment, reduced to 14 months for time on restricted bail, then commuted to seven months home detention.
- Her troubled background—addiction, PTSD, state care, and gang exposure—was weighed against genuine remorse, rehabilitation efforts, and a guilty plea.
- Devery now aims to rebuild her life with her family, continue mental‑health and addiction work, and possibly start a community garden.
Motivation and Origins of the Business
Devery said she began supplying cannabis oil after her sister‑in‑law died following a cancer diagnosis. The illness and the surrounding grief remained at the forefront of her mind, motivating her to help others who could not afford legitimate medication. As a recovering drug user, she emphasized that her intent was never to “put drugs into the community,” and she expressed deep remorse for her actions, wishing she had processed her grief and supported people in different ways.
Operation Through Facebook Sales
She ran an online business through Facebook, advertising cannabis oil for sale in various quantities and prices on the profile page “CBD New Zealand”. In addition to the oil, she sold legal natural‑health balms and balms/oils containing cannabis oil. Customers would reference terms such as “CBD”, “CBD oil”, “oil”, “bud”, or “balm” when making payments into her bank account.
Customer Base and Financial Details
From 18 October 2023 to 17 October 2024, Devery supplied cannabis oil and natural‑health balms to approximately 521 customers across New Zealand, receiving NZ$32,445.50 in cash deposits. Prices ranged from NZ$25 to NZ$260 for quantities between 20 ml and 100 ml. A subsequent period, from 18 October 2024 to 4 December 2024, saw about 57 customers and NZ$4,495.50 in revenue, with similar payment references including “Cbdnz”, “100ml”, “20ml oil”, and “oil”.
Legal Ambiguity and Classification of Products
An agreed summary of facts noted that it was impossible to determine exactly how many transactions involved illegal cannabis oil versus the legal health balms. However, it was accepted that the supply of illegal cannabis oil—including that contained within balms and oils—constituted more than half of her business’s operation. Her lawyer, Scott Mills, argued that referencing “half” was somewhat misleading because it also counted products that merely contained cannabis oil, such as the balms. This aspect led to a representative charge for supplying cannabis oil.
Discovery of the Offending Incident
On 6 October 2024, Devery chatted with a potential customer on Facebook through her CBD New Zealand page. The customer saw an advertisement for three bottles of cannabis oil at a special price of NZ$50 and asked whether the special still applied, specifically requesting THC‑containing oil. Devery provided her bank details and asked for a screenshot confirming payment; the customer then supplied their address. Devery thanked them and said she would send tracking details.
Police Investigation and Evidence Seized
The next day, Devery delivered the parcel of three THC cannabis oil bottles to a NZ Post drop box at Westend Dairy in Rotorua for shipment to Napier. NZ Post staff in Napier noticed a suspicious smell and called the police. Officers described the parcel as “reeking” of cannabis. On 10 October, police searched Devery’s home, finding NZ Post packaging addressed to her that contained large quantities of empty capsules similar to those used for cannabis oil. They also seized NZ$3,635 in cash—mostly NZ$50 notes—hidden in a Nike bag, a dresser drawer, and under the mattress in her bedroom.
Sentencing Considerations and Rehabilitation
Judge John Bergseng took into account Devery’s extensive rehabilitative work, noting a genuine motivation to change. He highlighted her uptake of study opportunities and progress toward a mental‑health and addiction qualification. The judge recognized a causal link between her troubled background—including PTSD, addiction, time in state care, and exposure to gangs and violence—and her offending, but also acknowledged that she had lived offence‑free for eight years prior to the charges. Consequently, she received a 15 % discount for addiction issues, a 15 % discount for remorse, and a 25 % discount for her guilty plea. This reduced a base sentence of 20 months imprisonment to 14 months, which was then commuted to seven months of home detention.
Personal Reflection and Future Plans
Devery told NZME that the biggest victims of her actions were her family members, who had been without her for roughly 14‑15 months, including the initial 29 days in custody. She described her recent time in jail as filled with mental‑health struggles, trauma, and hurt. While on electronic bail, she worked as a support worker for He Waka Taiora, a Māori Transitional Recovery Whare in South Aotearoa, helping others transition from prison to healing—a role that also aided her own recovery. She expressed gratitude for the support she received and said her focus now is on staying healthy, keeping busy, and continuing her rehabilitative efforts at home, possibly by starting a community garden.