Christchurch resident Kim Michael Dozier had been operating an arcade out of his garage for several years. Known as the “Kimzone,” the hyperlocal gaming spot hosted neighbors, family, pinball wizards and even tournaments. It was also home to six figures worth of MDMA, magic mushrooms, cocaine and more. Last year police arrested Dozier after he was found to be dealing drugs out of his gaming room. On top of a prison sentence, the police are now confiscating his pinball collection as well.
According to The New Zealand Herald, Dozier’s residence was raided by police last May, with caches of narcotics discovered around the house, some even inside his pinball machines. Serving a four year sentence, authorities have also confiscated those pinball machines under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act, to be resold to new owners.
The drugs amounted to roughly $125,000, but ironically the pinball machines are estimated to be worth even more. His collection, 13 machines in total, were housed in a colorfully decorated garage known as the Kimzone. They range from recent Stern tables like Jaws and Godzilla to vintage Williams machines. The judge accused Dozier of using the arcade to act as a drug front out of his own home.
“You were running a relatively sophisticated operation to support your lifestyle and deal in drugs,” said Judge Stephen O’Driscoll, “particularly in later stages when you were unemployed.”
While contemporary pinball spots and barcades play a rather gentrified game, a more historically savvy gamer would know that Dozier was merely honoring tradition. Back in their heyday, dark and noisy game halls were especially known as a means of drug trafficking, busy spaces filled with plenty of young people filtering through. Famously, William Gibson’s vision of cyberpunk originated from arcades, a crash between virtual space, circuit bending and bodily highs.
As much as it seems like an overreach on top of a multi-year prison sentence, Dozier’s lawyer says that he has accepted the confiscation and selling of his machines. The arrest has not impacted his standing in the local pinball community much either, as he is still ranked the 30th best player in the country.