Temuera Morrison and Robyn Malcolm reunited on set for first time since Shortland Street days to film Northland drug bust drama

Temuera Morrison and Robyn Malcolm play the local couple who went on to foil the drug importation in 2016. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi actors Temuera Morrison and Robyn Malcolm have reunited on the TV set after almost three decades – this time for a true-crime TV show about one of New Zealand’s largest drug busts.

The drama series, called Far North, follows the true story of the comedic failure of a group who tried to import 501kg of methamphetamine in June 2016 at Ninety Mile Beach in Northland.

Eight people were imprisoned for their involvement in the importation.

It was dubbed the largest drug bust in the country up until 613kg of meth, worth $245 million, was seized at Auckland Airport in March this year.

Temuera Morrison and Robyn Malcolm on the set of Shortland Street in 1993. Photo / Supplied

It is 28 years since Morrison and Malcolm worked together on Shortland Street.

The Once Were Warriors and Outrageous Fortune stars will play the characters of a local couple from the Ahipara community, named in the series as Ed and Heather, who helped foil the organised crime operation.

The series, co-written by David White, is being produced by the makers of Shortland Street, South Pacific Pictures, and White Balance Pictures.

“I haven’t worked with Tem since Shortland Street 1994. David’s a fantastic writer-director to work with, the story is literally incredible, the real people are the most generous lovely humans you could ever meet and their dogs are the absolute best. Plus the sound of the sea follows you everywhere. Total magic experience,” Malcolm said.

The series will film for 14 weeks, with seven weeks spent on location in the Far North.

Temuera Morrison and Robyn Malcolm on set filming for the new drama series Far North. Photo / Supplied

In 2019, Detective Senior Sergeant Lloyd Schmid said the drug importation came unstuck thanks to the public in the Far North who reported suspicious activity.

“They are the real heroes in all this,” he said.

The man, known as Ed in the series, was enlisted to help the group launch their boat so they could obtain the haul of drugs from the “mothership” out in the sea and bring them back to shore.

The group had deceived the local, telling him they wanted to go out and spread the ashes of a relative.

An unsuccessful attempt to launch the boat unfolded like a comedy of errors and the group scrambled to get another, paying for a $98,000 rigid hull inflatable boat in cash.

Featuring enough food in the boat to “feed a marae” for a week, the fact that the group were wearing gloves, and one had $500 cash laid in his hand as payment for his help, led the local to believe this was more than just a trip to spread ashes.

Temuera Morrison (left) as Dr Hone Ropata and Robyn Malcolm as Ellen Crozier on Shortland Street. Photo / Supplied

He called the police immediately. But it wasn’t until the group beached the boat, on arriving back from retrieving the drugs, that the attention of the police was fully caught.

A few hours later, police were interviewing the local man about his dealings with the group and as they were leaving his house, the group drove past.

“My wife said ‘there they go, they’re driving past’,” the local said.

The police went on to find 52kg of meth buried in sand dunes and 449kg in a campervan.