Armed police involved in search of Te Puna property

Armed police assist in the execution of a search warrant at a Te Puna Rd property last night. Photo / George Novak

A large contingent of police, including at least four carloads of Armed Offenders Squad members, searched a Te Puna address last night.

Police remained tight-lipped about the reason for the search.

But a police spokeswoman earlier told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend that officers were carrying out a "pre-planned" search warrant operation.

While the Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) was assisting, there was no danger to the public, but they were asked to keep away while police carried out the operation, she said.
Callers to the newspaper earlier said they had seen at least 14 police vehicles speeding west along State Highway 2 about 5.10pm.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner would not publicly comment on the reason for the search.

The cordon was reduced about 6.20pm and Te Puna Rd was reopened to allow residents and other motorists through but a large police presence remained. The search appeared to centre on one property.

Numerous police could be seen coming and going. By 7pm AOS members started to leave followed by some uniformed police but several officers remained at the scene, including Mr Turner.

Some Te Puna Rd residents stopped at the road cordon were frustrated they could not return home including one irate man who said his home was just inside the cordon.

The man said he had frozen items in his car which he had just bought at the supermarket and did not appreciate his dinner plans being disturbed by the police search operation.

Another Te Puna Rd couple said they were shocked to see so many police involved in the search and had initially thought it was just a training session.

- A police spokeswoman said a 33-year-old man had been arrested and charged with cultivating cannabis and conspiring to supply cannabis.
The man is due to appear in the Tauranga District Court today.