One of the most notorious drug empires in Kiwi history is the subject of an in-depth six-part investigative podcast series, Mr Asia: A Forgotten History. In collaboration with Bird of Paradise Productions and with the support of NZ On Air, NZ Herald will detail the rise and fall of the Mr Asia crime syndicate, including interviews and never-before-seen photos.

Co-hosted by John Daniell and Noelle McCarthy, the series starts with the murder of Marty Johnstone, dubbed Mr Asia, on the orders of his syndicate boss Terry Clark, examining how they first met and the chain of events from there. Listeners will hear from police, journalists and criminals, including the first interviews with one of the key journalists who covered the case, and a former cell mate turned close friend of Terry Clark. The podcast also tackles the issue of addiction and its devastating consequences. John and Noelle also gained access to police surveillance photographs and other material never seen publicly before.

John Daniell said:

“Mr Asia is an amazing story – it’s about a handful of people who changed New Zealand’s drug culture forever. Forty years on, there’s an incredible frankness to the testimony we heard – including Terry Clark’s old cellmate, flatmate, friend and fellow drug dealer, who is riveting.

It’s been fascinating to go behind the scenes to see how police and journos worked together – we’ve uncovered new twists to the story and how it was reported at the time.”

Noelle McCarthy said:

“We’ve been able to explore the long-term impact on New Zealand, hearing from those most affected by this business. Former addicts and the Head of NZ Police’s Organised Crime Group talk about the long tail of addiction and the consequences that
actualised into the current methamphetamine crisis.”

The first three episodes are available now, on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, with the remaining three released weekly on Wednesdays. You also can read more about the Mr Asia story in the NZ Herald (subscription required).