A drug dealer caught with a stash of methamphetamine and $230,000 cash in his car has told authorities moving to seize the illicit-made funds that the money would be "better off in the community".

Abd Allah Abd Allah was pursued by police on April 20 last year in a silver Volkswagen travelling north on State Highway 2 near Eketahuna in the Manawatū-Whanganui region.

The pursuit was abandoned due to excessive speed before the vehicle crashed and police caught up with Abd Allah and his then-girlfriend.

Officers found "in or around the car", a blue carry-bag containing 725.9 grams of methamphetamine, separated into 10 zip-lock bags, and $229,360 in cash, all of which Abd Allah said belonged to him.

Another $3000 in cash from Abd Allah was found along with a further $1000 from the woman which police believe was given to her by her boyfriend to compensate her for travelling with him from Wellington to Auckland.

Officers also found a loaded firearm, empty snap-lock bags and a cash-counting machine.

Under a search warrant, the phones of Abd Allah and his girlfriend were seized. Data extracted indicated he was involved in the sale and supply of methamphetamine and other "significant criminal activity involving guns and drugs".

Abd Allah pleaded guilty to 16 charges including possession of methamphetamine for supply, eight charges of supplying methamphetamine, and one charge of unlawfully possessing a firearm.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16.

In the meantime, the Commissioner of Police applied for asset forfeiture or, alternatively, profit forfeiture orders under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 over the seized cash.

Having been served, neither Abd Allah nor the woman filed any notice of opposition.

The applications were heading for court but when Abd Allah was told the hearing date, he said the money would be "better off in the community".

Last month, Justice Matthew Palmer at the High Court in Wellington granted the forfeiture order.

"There is ample evidence, in the circumstances in which the cash was seized, the phone data, and the nature of the offences to which the respondent has pleaded guilty, giving rise to the inferences required to satisfy the criteria for asset forfeiture orders …," the judge ruled.

"On the balance of probabilities, I am satisfied the cash was acquired as a result of, or directly or indirectly derived from, significant criminal activity. It is accordingly tainted property."