Homicide inquiry after man found dead in Waikato

Waikato police have launched a homicide investigation after the death of a 30-year-old man on a property near Waingaro, between Ngaruawahia and Raglan.

Ambulance staff were called to the property shortly after 3am today, but the man was dead when they arrived, a police statement said.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Whitehead said a team of 14 police officers from Huntly, Ngaruawahia and Hamilton were working on the investigation.

"Initial observations point to the death being suspicious and as such, it is now being investigated as a homicide," he said.

It was too early to release information on the circumstances or cause of the man's death.

"We are in the early stages of the investigation and are trying to collate all the pieces of information we have available to us. It may be some time before we can say how the man died," Mr Whitehead said.

The man's name had not been released as next of kin were yet to be advised.

- NZPA