The country's most elite armed police were told they had to find Kim Dotcom before he destroyed evidence, but were banned from searching building plans to learn about the interior of the tycoon's mansion, a court has heard.
The High Court at Auckland heard yesterday it took the special tactics group (STG) more than 13 minutes to find Dotcom - and then only after his bodyguard showed them the location of the tycoon's "safe room".
The hearing follows a ruling the search warrants executed during the raids were invalid. Chief High Court judge Helen Winkelmann is hearing evidence before deciding what should be done with the seized evidence.
Dotcom last night sent a Twitter message saying: "After reliving the raid in the court room I am angry. So many lies. There was no justification for this! All just a big show for the US!"
His lawyer, Paul Davison, QC, yesterday quizzed a sergeant and another officer from the elite STG about the raid, which followed an FBI request for help with an investigation into criminal copyright violation. The men were among 30 officers from the STG and armed offenders squad tasked with leading the raid at the mansion in Coatesville before being backed up by other officers.