The Bay of Islands home has been extensively renovated since it was owned by heroin syndicate boss Terry Clark.
The Bay of Islands home has been extensively renovated since it was owned by heroin syndicate boss Terry Clark.
A waterfront mansion built for New Zealand's most notorious drug lord, complete with helicopter pad and mythical "escape tunnel", is again for sale.
The Bay of Islands home has been extensively renovated since it was owned by Mr Asia heroin syndicate boss Terry Clark.
Clark started building his dream homeusing drug money. But in 1979 he was arrested for murder and jailed, dying in prison four years later.
A spokesman for the family selling the house said it was a dump when the family bought it in 1997. Before that, the six-bedroom mansion sat empty for at least 12 years.
"Squatters moved in and they got evicted ... They tried to burn the place down."
He said the family had since created a holiday home where a generation of grandchildren had grown up with fond summer memories.
For this reason, the family had mixed feelings about selling, but with the family patriarch passing away last year, it was time to move on.
Terry Clark.
The property included a floating jetty - big enough to accommodate a 15m boat - a cottage and pathways wide enough for golf carts criss-crossing the landscaped grounds sprawling over the 2ha section.
A wardrobe inside the house leads to an alleged escape passage under the mansion.
"There's a hatch under a wardrobe, which you can go down and comes out about 10m in front of the house, towards the water, allowing a potential quick escape by boat. We were told the space was for ventilation, but it could have been an escape tunnel for its previous owner, some locals say," said Chester Rendell, of Bayleys Auckland Central.
Bayleys said a heliport on the property was believed to have been part of Clark's alternative escape plan by air if needed. The property had a rateable value of $2.35 million but was expected to sell for far more, said Mr Rendell.
He said the mansion would appeal most to families wanting a "magnificent permanent home" or a big holiday home.
"It is rare to find a property of this calibre that combines the facilities, size and sought-after location of this one. The property's colourful history is likely to only add to its appeal and the interest of potential buyers."
