Betting syndicates, All Blacks cleared of wrong-doing in bugging investigation

New Zealand All Blacks hotel the Intercontinental at Double Bay, where a bug was found in the All Blacks team meeting room. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Both the All Blacks and betting syndicates have been ruled out as perpetrators of the bugging at the All Blacks' Sydney hotel in August.

The Daily Telegraph reports that rumours the All Blacks planted the device themselves in a prank gone wrong is false, and that the listening device found in a team meeting room at the Intercontinental Hotel in Double Bay was live.

Investigations started on August 20 after the find became public through a story in the New Zealand Herald, and investigators have been meticulously preparing a report after speaking to a number of people.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika revealed last weekend that police officers had turned up to the ARU's headquarters in St Leonard's and questioned management about the discovery of the device before the first Bledisloe Cup Test.

Cheika is incensed at the implication some have made that the Wallabies were behind the planting of the device.

NSW Police have given no indications as to whether they are investigating any suspects or even if a crime was committed.

The Daily Telegraph reports that there remains some way to go in their investigations before a final report is made.

However, the newspaper revealed that underground betting syndicates, who were touted as potential culprits seeking to gain sensitive All Blacks team information, were ruled out almost immediately by detectives.

On August 27, Australian police confirmed they were scouring CCTV footage in the hunt to identify who planted a listening device in the All Blacks' hotel meeting room at the Intercontinental hotel in Double Bay.

It's understood from a well-placed Australian source that the sophisticated listening device, found concealed in a chair, only had a battery life of around three days - and was still operational when discovered by All Blacks security personnel.

The twist suggests the All Blacks were the specific target of the bug and its presence in their hotel meeting room was not from a previous deployment.

At the time, New South Wales police did not address direct questioning about the bug being operational either, but did confirm detectives are still digging for the facts, have taken possession of CCTV footage and are prepared to lay charges.

When asked if police had recovered CCTV from the hotel, a NSW police spokeswoman said: "CCTV has been obtained as part of the investigation and is being reviewed."

"Once the investigation has been completed, appropriate outcomes will be determined, and if appropriate, relevant charges will be laid.

"NSW Police is conducting an ongoing investigation which involves forensic examination and further follow-up in relation to the matter."