Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Auckland woman hid in car boot and travelled to Northland

An Auckland woman subject to court-imposed conditions hid in the boot of a car and travelled to Northland in the latest Covid breach.

The woman from Half Moon Bay in Auckland, travelled to Whangārei on Friday last week but it wasn't until Monday this week that she was arrested in Kaitaia on an unrelated matter.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty in the Whangārei District Court today on one charge of failing to comply with Covid restrictions under the Public Health Act 2020 by travelling outside of Auckland without a personal travel exemption.

She was remanded in custody to appear for sentencing via audio visual link on October 27.

The case is unrelated to two women— also from Auckland— who slipped into Northland, allegedly on false travel documents, and who are now in a quarantine facility in Auckland.

The police summary of facts stated as part of court-imposed conditions for a criminal matter, the woman was ordered to reside at an Auckland address and to abide by a curfew.

She met with a family associate and arranged for the latter to transport her through the Auckland/Northland border to Whangārei.

The associate was driving a red Holden Commodore.

She concealed herself in the boot of the car and travelled through the border.

It's unclear whether the associate had a valid travel exemption to travel north or how she managed to avoid detection at the border.

On Monday, Kaitaia police were advised she was in the area and conducted a door knock at an address on Paparore Rd where she was arrested.

The Advocate has chosen not to name the woman.

A woman travelled across the Auckland/Northland border in the boot of a car. Photo / Michael Cunningham

It's the second reported case of Aucklanders who managed to cross the border.

The first was that of two women who travelled to and from Northland under false pretences.

The travelling companion who was arrested by police in west Auckland on Monday evening has since tested positive for Covid.

The Ministry of Health said 18 contacts have been identified for the woman who tested positive last week, 17 of whom have been tested.