Police apologise to top diplomat Gerard van Bohemen after drug raid

The Wharf Office apartments in Wellington where the adult children of UN diplomat Gerard van Bohemen live. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Police have apologised to one of New Zealand's most senior diplomats for a dawn drug raid on the upmarket Wellington apartment his adult children live in.

Officers stormed the city centre home of United Nations representative Gerard van Bohemen's adult sons on Friday morning.

Streets were cordoned off as police searched the apartment on the third floor of the Wharf Offices Harbour Board building after a tip methamphetamine was being produced there.

Gerard van Bohemen is New Zealand's permanent representative to the UN. He said his children had done nothing wrong. Photo / Supplied

However, there was no evidence of wrongdoing, no one was arrested and police have since acknowledged the information was false.

Mr van Bohemen is listed in public documents as living at the address, but is now based in New York where he chairs the UN Security Council.

Police wouldn't comment on the identities of the apartment owner, or the people living there, but told the Herald they had apologised those involved.

"At the time this information was believed to be reliable and was taken seriously given the risk posed by clan labs to the public," Wellington Police Crime Manager Detective Inspector Mike Arnerich said.

"Police took action by visiting the relevant location.

"No evidence was found of any clan lab activity ... and police now know that the information supplied was incorrect.

"Police have sincerely apologised to the occupants and owners of the property involved and we now know that they have no link to the manufacture, distribution or use of methamphetamine."

Mr van Bohemen was in the headlines last month after it emerged the Government had paid $11.4 million for a New York apartment for him. There was criticism about the expense, which came to light two years after Foreign Minister Murray McCully cut spending at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Police said there was no indication at this time that false information was deliberately or maliciously provided, however the matter was being reviewed "to establish if there are any further actions or learnings required".

Mr van Bohemen this afternoon told the Herald he was satisfied with the police's apology.

"I have received an apology from police and I am happy to put it behind us," he said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade released a statement on Mr van Bohemen's behalf.

It said: "While we understand your interest, Gerard would like the privacy of his children respected in any stories you may write.

"We are aware police are addressing this matter with a response to you.

"However, given that the boys have not done anything wrong their involvement is inadvertent can you please respect their privacy."

Other residents of the Wharf Offices apartments said they were visited by uniformed and plainclothes police between 6.45am and 7am last Friday asking them if they had seen anything "suspicious" in recent weeks.

The purchase of an $11m apartment in the 44-floor Zeckendorf tower in New York for Mr van Bohemen caused recent controversy. Photo / Supplied

They had not, and some were annoyed they had not been told by police or their body corporate what the raid was about. A spokeswoman for the body corporate declined to comment.

Mr van Bohemen is a respected diplomat who has held high-profile jobs in the public service in Wellington and New York, and top positions at private legal practices.

He was a senior solicitor at Russell McVeagh's Auckland offices and Buddle Findlay's Auckland offices. He was also a partner at Buddle Findlay and at Chen Palmer & Partners.

Police apply for a search warrant under section 6 of the Search and Surveillance Act 2012 and it is issued by a court officer, not a police officer.

There needs to be reasonable grounds to suspect an offence is being planned, has been committed or is about to committed, or that related evidence will be found.