High Court jury temporarily stood down in trial over 46kg of cocaine

Rotorua District courthouse. Photo / File

There's been a further adjournment in the smuggling trial in the High Court at Rotorua, with $20m worth of cocaine at its core.

The case stems from one of New Zealand's biggest drug busts - the discovery of 46kg of cocaine during a Mount Maunganui property raid in 2017.

At the time it was reported the Class A drug had been secreted in the outer hull of a commercial vessel, the Maersk Antares, berthed at Mount Maunganui on October 31, 2017. It had just arrived from Chile.

On trial are Deni Cavallo, 46, a Serbian national, and Mario Habulin, 46, who is from Croatia.

They face a raft of drug-related charges including illegally importing cocaine and money laundering.

After a jury was selected on Monday, Justice Grant Powell adjourned the start of the trial until today.

When the sworn jurors returned their numbers had dropped to 10.

The judge said he had excused two from jury service.

Two women were selected from the remaining panel summoned for jury service this week.

After they took the oath, Justice Powell stood the jury down until noon tomorrow.

Matthew Scott, left, and Benjamin Northway pleading guilty to drugs charges in the High Court at Rotorua. Photo / File

Australians Benjamin John Northway, 35 and Matthew John Scott, 44, pleaded guilty to the series of charges they faced on Monday.

Justice Powell convicted them and remanded them in custody for sentencing on August 2.