The Star: November 30, 2023

NEWS 5
Charges dropped
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday November 30 2023 The Star
after 17-month
harness racing
investigation
A MAJOR undercover police
investigation into alleged race
fixing and drug offences in the
harness racing industry appears
to have ended with the final
charges being dropped.
Operation Inca was a
17-month investigation involving
phone taps, bugged cars and
hotel rooms, and police officers
following harness racing drivers
to race meetings, the bulk of
the inquiry focused on the
Canterbury harness racing scene.
It became public when 11
racing industry participants were
arrested in September 2018, most
charged with involvement in
fixing the outcome of races.
It can now be revealed Judge
Michael Crosbie ruled in the
district court on November 10
the last two charges should be
stayed, effectively dropped. No
race fixing or corruption has
been proven, the New Zealand
Herald has reported.
Other similar or related
charges were also dropped last
year after lengthy delays.
Most of the 11 people charged
have interim name suppression
and are applying for that to
become permanent.
Some of harness racing’s most
successful horse people were
among those arrested, while
many others were questioned
by police – but none have been
found guilty of race fixing or any
form of corruption involving
racing.
There were admissions of recreational
drug use after evidence
of that was also scooped up in
the Operation Inca net but that
resulted in guilty pleas and, being
of a minor nature, diversion
was granted.
Harness Racing New Zealand
bosses are awaiting Judge Crosbie’s
written findings, scheduled
for February.
“HRNZ is still waiting for official
confirmation that Operation
Inca has come to an end and that
charges have been dropped. We
are currently seeking that information
and confirmation,” says
HRNZ chief operating officer
Mauro Barsi.
“This has been a challenging
time for the industry and once
we know more, we may well look
to see how these events unfolded
and what next steps are needed
to support our participants and
our integrity.”
Police yesterday declined to
comment until February citing
suppression orders in place.
James Rapley KC, who acted
for three of those charged said
while the cases are now over, the
damage to his clients and the
others charged remains.
“There were accusations of
corruption and race fixing and
the arrests were very public, but
after five years it has come to
nothing,” Rapley
said.
“This
investigation
and the
hearings have
caused divorce,
depression
James
Rapley
and have had
real human
consequences.”
One of the accused has spent
more than $400,000 on legal
bills. Rapley said his clients will
be seeking costs but a “woefully
outdated act dating back to
1967” makes it near impossible
for defendants cleared of any
wrongdoing to get adequate
compensation.
The Star understands a large
part of at least one defendant’s
legal bill was fighting to stop the
Racing Integrity Board gaining
access to the police evidence,
which may have led to prosecutions
under the rules of racing,
for which the penalties including
lengthy bans can be severe.
Judge Raoul Neave made a
final order several months ago
denying the RIB access to the
police file.
The New Zealand Herald
reported questions will be asked
as to how the investigation got
so big when, in one example of
alleged match fixing, the race
in question involved a bet of a
mere $200 by one of the winning
horse’s owners for a $280 profit.
Horse race or match fixing
is an unusual charge in New
Zealand because the prosecution
must prove that an act was done
with intent to influence a betting
outcome by manipulating the
race result, and in doing so, the
accused obtained an advantage
or caused loss to another.
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