A 78-year-old former adult entertainment figure has been jailed for smuggling liquid cocaine into New Zealand.

Fritz Petersen, a former director of adult “megastore” Peaches and Cream, which specialises in the sale of sex toys and other related items, was found guilty of importing 718 grams of cocaine into the country.

He was caught after Customs intercepted a case containing two bottles of wine at the New Zealand border.

On Wednesday, Petersen, who reportedly opened the first of the Peaches and Cream sex shops around 30 years ago, appeared in the Christchurch District Court for sentencing on charges of importing a class-A drug, namely cocaine, and possession of a class-A drug, namely cocaine, for supply.

The facts on which he was found guilty at trial in October stated that on March 23, 2021, Petersen arranged for the package to be sent from Germany to Alyse Wilson’s home in Christchurch.

Wilson, 27, stood trial alongside Petersen but was acquitted on a charge of importing cocaine.

Fritz Petersen was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court. Photo / George Heard

Customs contacted Wilson to advise her of a package that was waiting for her at the international mail centre in Auckland and said that it would be dispatched once she had made a payment.

On March 27, an unknown person attempted to pay for the package using a Prezzy card but was unsuccessful.

Two days later, Customs inspected the package and discovered a case containing two bottles of wine.

Tests carried out revealed the bottles contained 718g of liquid cocaine, with a purity of 43 per cent.

Police then launched an investigation dubbed Operation Vino and carried out a controlled delivery to Wilson’s address on April 7 of that year.

Within 15 minutes, Petersen arrived at Wilson’s, then left moments later with the package.

Police searched his Redwood home and found the wine bottles in the fridge, as well as around 50g of cocaine and $11,000 in cash.

Petersen was arrested and faced a further charge of failing to give the passcode to his phone when requested by police. On this charge, he was convicted and discharged.

Wilson told police Petersen had arranged the delivery of the package and she had no idea it contained drugs.

However, Petersen denied this, claiming he thought the bottles contained wine.

At the sentencing hearing, Crown prosecutor William Taffs argued a starting point of at least 11 years’ imprisonment was appropriate and that Petersen should not get credit for remorse as he continued to deny the offending.

Defence lawyer Phillip Allan submitted his client was entitled to a discount for his age as he has health concerns and prison would not be easy for him.

While Allan accepted Petersen continued to deny the offending, he said he had been out of trouble for an “awfully long time” as his last conviction was in the 90s and was not drug-related.

Judge David Ruth acknowledged Petersen’s older age but said unlike in most cases, the offending had happened recently and wasn’t of a historical nature.

“You, at a mature age, must have known that if you were caught and convicted, a term of imprisonment must have been the risk that you knowingly took.”

Petersen had spent time on bail while awaiting trial, but because he did not have many restrictions imposed, the judge only allowed a limited discount.

Judge Ruth jailed Petersen for eight years and six months and ordered forfeiture of the $11,000 and destruction of the drugs.

As Petersen was taken into custody, one of his supporters kicked the seat in front of him in the public gallery and began swearing at court security staff.

Emily Moorhouse is a Christchurch-based Open Justice journalist at NZME. She joined NZME in 2022. Before that, she was at the Christchurch Star.