Police officers searching for a person of interest instead discovered a number of items believed to have been used in the making of drugs onboard a boat moored on a Whangarei stream.
Officers went to the boat named Stranger, moored on Raumanga Stream, a tributary of the Whangarei Harbour, about 10.30am last Thursday in search of a person they wanted to speak to. On entering the boat they found no one onboard but spotted some items thought to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
A police spokesman said officers removed the items which would be further analysed by scientists to confirm if they had been used in the making of drugs. Police believe the boat was being rented and there was no indication the owner was involved.
They said there was no working drug laboratory on the boat, just items that may have been used.
Business owners in the area have also being paying close attention to the vessel with an increase in the number of people making quick visits. One person said when a flag was raised on the boat it would only be minutes before a stream of people would go on the boat then leave. Once the flag went down the foot traffic stopped.
