Cook Islands man sentenced to 12 months' supervision for cannabis found in underwear
Michael Hoff was sentenced to 12 months' supervision at the High Court in Avarua after pleading guilty to possessing cannabis found in his underwear during a body search at Aorangi Prison. He had been stopped for drink-driving on 23 July 2022 and told the court he had found the cannabis by the roadside.
🇳🇿 High Court, Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands · New Zealand
Michael Hoff appeared before Chief Justice Patrick Keane at the High Court in
Avarua on a charge of possession of cannabis, to which he had previously pleaded
guilty.[1]Hoff was stopped for driving with excess breath alcohol on 23 July
2022 and taken to the cells.[1]When he was body searched on being taken to
Aorangi Prison, police found a small plastic receptacle containing two tinfoils
of cannabis in his underwear.[1]
Chief Justice Keane said Hoff told the court he had found the cannabis and $20
in cash on the side of the road, spent the cash on food and forgotten about the
drug.[1]The judge noted it was Hoff’s first drug-related offence and that his
two other convictions were unrelated and unaggravated.[1]Chief Justice Keane
called it an exceptional offence and told Hoff he was a responsible husband and
father who should not be defined by it.[1]Police supported a sentence of 12
months’ supervision, and the Chief Justice agreed and sentenced Hoff to 12
months’ supervision.[1]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
The report does not say how much cannabis the two tinfoils contained, only that it was a small amount, so no weight is recorded.
The report does not say what conditions the supervision order carried, and no fine or community work is mentioned.
The article gives no separate date for the sentencing beyond 'Tuesday'; 24 January 2023 is taken from the publication date of Wednesday 25 January 2023.
The report does not say whether the drink-driving charge was dealt with in this sentencing or separately.
The judge is reported as saying Hoff was a 'responsible husband and father', but his age and family details are not given.
Only Cook Islands News published this account; no police statement or second outlet was found for the sentencing.
The CFI registry has no Cook Islands id, so New Zealand is used as the country field while the place is recorded as the High Court in Avarua, Rarotonga.
Christchurch District Court Judge Quentin Hix sentenced 54-year-old Damon Redshaw without prison after police found 234 grams of cannabis in his crashed vehicle, along with a sawn-off .22 rifle, ammunition and a methamphetamine vape.
Judge Mark Williams sentenced Jade-Cooper Mackenzie in the Invercargill District Court on cannabis dealing and other drug and assault charges, rejecting his claim that he sold only to fund his own addiction. Mackenzie had handled 16kg of cannabis, held $35,000 in cash and had two people working for him.
Ruben Flutey, 34, was sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison at the Wellington District Court after being convicted on 18 charges, including supplying methamphetamine, cannabis, ecstasy and ketamine. Police seized nearly $200,000 of assets including drugs, cash, a classic car, motorbikes and jet skis, and four more associates were due to be sentenced in November and December.
Arrested 1Charged 1Prison 10 years and five months
A young man was convicted in the Cook Islands criminal High Court on 26 February 2026 for possessing 0.20 grams of cannabis, after hiring a lawyer, gathering character references and attending a men's counselling centre. A letter to Cook Islands News argued the amount was below the 250-milligram THC threshold in the Narcotics and Misuse of Drugs Act 2004.
