Bleeding rottweiler, gunfire lead police to drugs

Police were called to Otara, South Auckland, after reports of fighting and gunfire. Photo / Greg Bowker

Rapid gunfire was heard before a bleeding rottweiler was dragged to safety from a house later found to contain drugs, cash, a firearm and ammunition shells.

Police were called to Wymondley Rd in the South Auckland suburb of Otara about 2.30pm yesterday, after reports of fighting followed by four quick gunshots.

It is understood an armed offenders squad paramedic wrapped a towel around the dog's neck to stop the blood and it was taken to a local veterinary clinic.

Dozens of locals and Papatoetoe Intermediate students stood at a police cordon at the intersection of Wymondley and Bairds Rds as officers saturated the area and the police helicopter circled above.

"Police said we're not allowed to go past here or through Highbrook and we can't go to the shops," said 12-year-old Cherie Katipa.

Contractor AJ Steyn said he saw police stop four vehicles and line up the occupants on the footpath.

The roadblock was lifted by 4pm and about 300m down the road two men sat on the footpath, handcuffed, with police officers on guard.

About 1km further down, at the two houses of interest, two others were handcuffed, one in the back seat of a patrol car.

Manukau Acting Detective Sergeant Graham Sayer told the Herald his staff were still trying to build a picture of what had occurred.

"What we do know is that at least a couple of shots were fired and there was an injured dog at the house, no one's really telling us much about what's happened," he said.

But he did say officers had seized "some drugs, quite a bit of cash and shotgun shells" from one of the cordoned-off houses.

It is understood police were looking for the driver of a black Ford Falcon seen leaving the scene.

Police spokeswoman Ana-Mari Gates-Bowey said last night that a man was being spoken to in relation to the drugs, firearm and ammunition, but no charges had been laid.

She said police had yet to speak to a number of people from the two houses, as well as witnesses.