Police closing in on wanted rapper Scribe

Police say they are closing in on fugitive rapper Scribe, who is wanted on drug and weapon charges and failed to appear in court.

This morning Canterbury police issued an appeal for information about the 38-year-old's whereabouts on their Facebook page.

They said Scribe, whose real name is Malo Luafutu, was wanted for failing to appear in court on drug charges.

The Facebook post has since been removed.

"We have received sufficient information from the public to progress the inquiry for him, and have good lines in investigation to follow up," a police spokeswoman said.

Earlier today the Herald revealed the full details of Luafutu's alleged offending.

A Herald reporter who visited Scribe's last known address in Porirua, Wellington, found a neatly kept but deserted house.

A neighbour said they believed Malo Luafatu hadn't lived there for two and a half years.

On April 2 he was allegedly caught with an "offensive weapon" - a bat - in an east Christchurch street.

At the same time the singer and father was allegedly found to have in his possession a Class A controlled drug, namely amphetamine.

Court documents also allege he had a pipe in his possession "for the purpose of the commission of an offence against the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 namely consuming, smoking, using a Class A controlled drug namely amphetamine".

The alleged offending came just days after he announced on social media that he was entering rehab for addiction issues.

Luafutu has not responded to the Herald about the charges.