Body found inside Far North P lab

File photo / NZ Herald

Far North police are investigating the suspicious death of a 55-year-old man in Mangonui.

The man's body was discovered on Monday in what police believe is a clandestine lab for manufacturing the class A drug methamphetamine, more commonly known as P.

A Northland police spokeswoman said Kaitaia staff carried out a detailed scene examination yesterday and were speaking with family members to ascertain the circumstances around the man's death.

Experts from Environmental Science and Research (ESR) and specialist "clan lab" staff from Auckland had also been called to the address.

The Northern Advocate understands the circumstances around the man's death were highly unusual, but police are saying little while their investigation is under way.

The last suspected P lab discovered in Northland was on Puketotara Rd, west of Kerikeri, on February 26.

In that case, chemicals, cash, glassware and other equipment were found in a shed and four vehicles.

Police arrested a 47-year-old man, charging him with possession of equipment and precursor substances for the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Officers were working to establish the owners of the vehicles at the Puketotara Rd scene.

A Ford found to contain several thousand dollars in cash, a packet of white powder and a set of digital scales reportedly belonged to a man who had let a prospective buyer take his car for a test drive.

ESR experts removed a large quantity of chemicals and equipment for testing.