Former Northland police detective on trial for drugs charges

A jury of seven women and five men have been chosen to hear the trial of a former Northland police detective who is facing serious drug charges.

Former Whangarei police Detective Sergeant Michael David Blowers, 51, appeared in the High Court at Whangarei this morning.

Blowers has pleaded not guilty to a representative charge of supplying methamphetamine, another a representative charge of supplying or selling cannabis and one charge of theft of methamphetamine seized by police.

Police allege the offences occurred between June 1, 2011 and June 31, 2012.

The theft charge relates to police seizing methamphetamine from the Burgandy Rose Motel in Whangarei on October 17, 2011. Police say Blowers stole the drugs from the Whangarei police station on or about October 19, 2011.

The trial that expected to last at least nine days and is before Justice Geoffrey Venning.

Before the jury was selected a court official read out a list of more than 40 witnesses who will be called during the trail, many of whom are police officers who worked with Blowers and are still with Northland police.

Arthur Fairley and Peter Magee are representing Blowers while Auckland lawyer Philip Hamlin and Whangarei-based lawyer David Stevens are presenting the case for the Crown.

Supplying methamphetamine, of P as it is known, carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.