Friend blamed for drugs found during raid

A man is claiming the methamphetamine found in his house belonged to a friend.

One of two Northlanders arrested during a drug bust claimed nearly 30 grams of methamphetamine police recovered from a house he lived in belonged to a friend.

Keith John Mills, 29, truck driver, elected to give evidence and call witnesses at the end of the Crown case in the Whangarei District Court yesterday.

Mills and Lateisha Ann Jeeves, 23, are on trial on drugs and firearms charges.

Mills is facing charges of unlawfully possessing a firearm, unlawfully possession of a pistol, and possession of methamphetamine for supply.

Jeeves pleaded guilty on Monday to one charge of possession of a .22 calibre Ruger semi-automatic rifle but denied charges of possessing a pistol and possessing methamphetamine for supply.

Police swooped on a rural property in Roberts' West Rd, Arapohue, about 16km southeast of Dargaville, on January 29, 2014, and seized nearly 30 grams of methamphetamine, $12,000 cash and firearms.

Mills' lawyer, Arthur Fairley, told the jury his client would give evidence a friend who lived in Auckland visited him in Arapohue with his children. Mr Fairley said the friend put the methamphetamine in a container before the drug was pushed under a mattress in a bedroom a day before the police raid. Mills had not been aware there were drugs in the container.

Mr Fairley said Mills later rang his friend and told him to accept responsibility for the methamphetamine.

Mills said his friend had been staying with him for several months.