A property developer arrested after an early morning police raid on a central Auckland apartment block has been granted interim name suppression.
He was one of three people, including a 16-year-old girl, arrested in the raid.
Although the operation was carried out by the police child exploitation team, Auckland District Court was told today that no charges relating to this operation were laid.
The 56-year-old property developer was charged with possession of a methamphetamine pipe and of a non-operational 1917 Luger pistol.
He was granted police bail this morning and while he was not in the dock today, he was in the court's public gallery when his lawyer successfully argued for his name to be kept out of the media for now.
The application for interim name suppression was declined by Judge Nicola Mathers but the man's lawyer, Mark Ryan, appealed the decision to the High Court, where it will be argued tomorrow.
Lawyer Barry Hart, representing the man's family, also argued for name suppression, saying naming him could be problematic because he was yet to appear before the court on the charges.A 33-year-old man arrested on outstanding fines of $2000 was also granted name suppression at his hearing in the district court and released on bail.
A 16-year-old girl arrested at the property for breaching bail conditions was dealt with by the Youth Court and released into social welfare custody.
Reaidents of the Artizanz Apartments building in Newton said police systematically checked each of the 28 flats in the three-level building and broke down doors during this morning's raid.
One resident said he was in his room when police busted through his door and searched his apartment.
"I just heard them going 'bang' on the doors. I came out with my hands up and got thrown on the ground," he said.
The site had been raided several times before.
Several residents who lived on the top floor had been taken to the police station.
Police were searching for a "network" of people, he said.
One man described the apartment block as "Hotel California", a real mixture of people from all walks of life.
He was speaking to a friend when police burst into his room, and was made to accompany officers as they searched the building.
There was always a "police presence" around the building, but it had quietened down lately, he said.