Poachers confront police in big paua bust

WELLINGTON - More than 5000 illegally taken paua worth $25,000 have been seized in a haul during which police were confronted at sea by poachers believed to be armed with knives.

A spokesman for Wellington's wharf police said 13 fullsized coal sacks of shucked paua were found in a boat at Makara Beach on Saturday.

The meat weighed more than 500kg and is believed to have come from more than 5000 paua. Restrictions allow for 10 paua per person a day.

The paua meat and a 5m aluminium power boat with an outboard motor have been confiscated and passed to the Ministry of Fisheries.

No one has been arrested but inquiries are expected to lead to charges being laid.

The poachers got away after police leapt into the water to seize the boat, to be confronted by three men they believed were armed.

The haul came after two wharf police spotted a vehicle and trailer, known to be associated with paua poaching, while patrolling Makara Beach.

The police waited until just after dark when the vehicle left without its trailer. Police realised a decoy was being run when they stopped the vehicle on Takarau Gorge Rd and spoke to the driver.

Police headed back to the ramp to see the boat being pushed back out to sea by three men in the water. The two wharf officers leapt into the water and seized the boat after a tussle with the offenders, who kept swimming.

After the boat was dragged on to shore, one of the officers headed back into the water but withdrew when he was confronted by two of the men. It was assumed they were armed with knives.

A fourth person was seen hiding in the shadows on the beach and shoved the boat back into Makara Stream as police tried to speak to him. While it was being retrieved, the man swam across the stream and fled.

A police dog and handler were called in but the scent was lost after a 1km track across rocks. The boat trailer was found partly submerged in the stream and towed back to Wellington with the boat.

The spokesman said the haul was the largest Wellington's wharf police had dealt with.

Dave McCulloch, a ministry district compliance manager, said the paua would be worth about $25,000 if sold commercially. The meat was likely to be headed for Auckland.

Mr McCulloch said it was the ministry's biggest haul in recent months. If offenders are tied to the poaching they will face maximum fines of $250,000.

The seized meat would be frozen and kept for evidence. It could be tested to ensure it is suitable for human consumption, then canned and exported to Asia.

The boat will be sold.

The ministry is appealing for witnesses, or anyone who recognises the blue boat with a red trim, to contact it. - NZPA