KEY POINTS:
A middle-aged Tauranga company director charged with an 18-month-old murder and with manufacturing methamphetamine has been granted interim name suppression.
The 49-year-old man, who was arrested this morning after armed offenders squad members cordoned off a city address, made a brief appearance in Tauranga District Court this afternoon.
He is alleged to have murdered Grant Trevor Adams, known in the criminal world as "Granite", at Tauranga in December 2005.
Mr Adams was reported missing in April last year and police went public earlier this month with an appeal for information on his mysterious disappearance. His body has not been recovered.
Watched by at least half a dozen detectives in the back of the court, the accused man was remanded by Community Magistrate Robyn Paterson in custody by consent on both charges until next Tuesday.
She agreed to an application by duty solicitor Nicholas Dutch for the suppression of his name and the name of his business until then.
Prosecutor Sean Brennan said police did not consent to the suppression.
"We would be happy for his name to be out there, for people to know he has been arrested and is in custody. Their safety is not in jeopardy, therefore people may come forward," Mr Brennan said.
But, according to Mr Dutch, the man had "quite a big business" and it would be unfair to broadcast his details when police were still gathering evidence and perhaps showing his photograph around for identification.
The accused needed to inform family members and clients about his arrest.
Without having had any disclosure from police about their evidence, it was impossible to know at this stage what would be prejudicial to his client, Mr Dutch said.
Outside the court, Tauranga CIB head Detective Senior-Sergeant Greg Turner described this morning's arrest as "rewarding".
"After 12 months' hard slog, it is pleasing to get a result."
However, there were still considerable inquiries to be completed and Tauranga police continued to appeal for anyone with information about the crime or the whereabouts of Mr Adams' body to contact them, he said.
Mr Turner said he was "not aware" of any claims so far for a $50,000 reward on offer.
Allegedly involved in the manufacture, distribution and use of controlled drugs, including methamphetamine, 29-year-old Grant Adams had links with several gangs in the upper half of the North Island.
The last confirmed sighting of the former Waitakere man was in the Tauranga suburb of Greerton on November 2, 2005, when he was involved in a dispute with flatmates.
He had left the address by the time police arrived and last used his bank account -- withdrawing his unemployment benefit -- on November 16, 2005.
His mother, who lives in Auckland, reported him missing on April 18 last year after Mr Adams uncharacteristically failed to make contact at Christmas and on his daughter's 10th birthday.
"His mum is satisfied with the arrest but it hits home that he is dead," said Mr Turner. She -- and police -- wanted to find his body so that it could be returned to her and his daughter.
Anyone with information can contact the Tauranga police on 07 577 4300 or 0800 Speakup (0800 7732587)
- NZPA
