Auckland drug pair face fresh charges

A couple arrested after a police raid in a downtown Auckland hotel last month are facing a raft of additional charges relating to receiving stolen property, including passports and drivers licences.

Police allege Paul Clark and Michelle Newton sold methamphetamine in exchange for stolen goods, hoards of which were found after the raid on the tower wing of the Heritage Hotel.

The couple were initially charged only with possession of methamphetamine for supply but further charges were laid in Auckland District Court today.

Clark, 52, was charged with an additional 15 offences, including receiving 21 New Zealand driving licences, six passports (against the will of the holders), a chequebook, as well as laptop computers, cellphones and other electronics.

He was also charged with possession of prescription sedative Hypam.

Newton faced an additional eight charges relating to receiving stolen electronic devices.

Clark was remanded in custody when he appeared briefly before Judge Tony Fitzgerald, while Newton was granted bail. Both will reappear later this month.

Police allege more than 100 cellphones, 30 laptops, cameras, iPods and jewellery were found in the apartment.

When they appeared last month, Judge Anne Kiernan said of Clark that while only a small amount of methamphetamine was found, police had uncovered "trappings of a drug dealer" including a handwritten "tick list" ledger of customers, as well as scales and snaplock bags.

Detective Sergeant Phil Cox, of the tactical crime unit, said today police still had a lot of work to do in their investigation and further charges had not been ruled out.