New Zealand designer denies police charges

NEW ZEALAND: Fashion designer Jason Crawford has denied running what police described as a "sophisticated cannabis operation" from the Auckland warehouse of his high-profile fashion label.

Thirty-five-year-old Crawford, who along with former business partner Kylee Davis founded the now defunct label Insidious Fix, appeared in Auckland District Court on Monday facing two charges of cultivating and one of selling cannabis. He has entered a plea of not guilty, as did two of his co-accused.

The charges stem from a police raid of the label's premises in November 2005 at which time police allegedly discovered a "huge and sophisticated" hydroponic cannabis growing operation housing up to 1,000 plants and seedlings.

Crawford, who resigned from Insidious Fix shortly after his arrest, has also been charged with nine counts of receiving stolen property. Davis, who was not implicated in the finding, has since gone on to launch a new label Stitch Ministry.

A jury of six men and six women has been selected to hear the trial, which has been set down for three weeks.

Jury members were sent home yesterday while the court considered legal arguments. It is expected to resume today.