Body in floating suitcase

A boat passes the yellow buoy near which the suitcase was recovered. Picture / Dean Purcell

Police yesterday hauled a large suitcase out of the Waitemata Harbour to make a gruesome discovery - the body of murdered young Asian man folded inside.

A couple on a yacht had seen the suitcase floating near a yellow buoy to the east of Auckland Harbour Bridge at 9.40am.

They tried to haul it on board but it was too heavy.

Becoming suspicious about what might be inside, they called the police.

The police launch retrieved the case and the body, believed to be a Chinese man in his 20s, was found inside.

Detective Inspector Bernie Hollewand said the body had multiple injuries.

He believed the man had been murdered and his body "folded" into the suitcase before it was dumped.

The man was 166cm (5ft 5in) tall and was wearing a black, long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans.

A post-mortem examination was carried out yesterday but Mr Hollewand would not give the cause of death.

"The body was in good condition. It was that of an Asian male in his 20s, we think possibly Chinese," the detective inspector said.

He said the man was definitely dead before he was put in the suitcase.

Mr Hollewand said the body was in one piece but with multiple injuries which had been inflicted within 24 hours of its discovery.

"He was folded into the suitcase."

The suitcase, which has been sent away for forensic examination, was large and made of black vinyl with soft sides and had wheels at the bottom.

A few items of male clothing were found inside.

Mr Hollewand said the suitcase appeared to have been thrown into the harbour just a few hours before it was found.

"There are a huge number of places it could have been put in the water ... possibly thrown from a boat."

High tide in the Waitemata Harbour was shortly before 8am, so given its location on the outgoing current the suitcase may have been dumped further up the harbour.

Boaties from the nearby Westhaven Marina were shocked by the discovery.

Many had set out to make the most of the long weekend and the perfect weather at about the time the suitcase was spotted.

Mr Hollewand said it was too early to know whether the killing was related to Asian gangs.

The last high-profile Asian murder was that of Tam Yam Ah, a gang enforcer who was assassinated outside his karaoke bar off Symonds St, central Auckland, last year.

Mr Tam, 37, was shot dead while climbing out of his car.

He was well known in the criminal underworld.

* The police are working to identify the man and have appealed for information such as details of missing persons who fit his description. They also want to hear from anyone who saw a large suitcase dumped into the harbour or carried near the water.

Anyone with such information should phone 0800 237-852 (0800 BESTLAND).