The trial of former police Detective Sergeant Michael Blowers charged with stealing, selling and dealing drugs was on hold for a day due to legal arguments.
The jury of seven women and five men were chosen on Tuesday and evidence from the first witness began. However, the jury were sent home yesterday afternoon and told the trial would resume at 10am today.
Blowers has pleaded not guilty to one charge each of supplying methamphetamine and cannabis between June 1, 2011 and June 31, 2012, and a charge of stealing methamphetamine from a police exhibit room in October 2011.
Blowers, an officer with 20 years' experience, with expertise in battling the drug trade, resigned two weeks before his arrest.
During an opening address on the first day of the trial lawyer Philip Hamlin said Blowers had been the head of the Northland police Organised Crime Unit when he stole drugs from a secure drug lock-up at Whangarei police station and then used a woman to sell them for thousands of dollars.