Police use stun grenades in raid

Armed police used stun grenades in a raid on two houses in Blenheim at 6am today.

The armed offenders squad arrived for the raid on the Rapaura Rd addresses early this morning and the bomb squad flew from Wellington at around 10am to deal with a small explosive device found on the scene, police said.

One man was arrested at one of the houses after the early morning raid.

A second man had left the adjoining address by the time police arrived. Police believe the man is still in the area and plan to search for him using tracking dogs and a helicopter, said Senior Constable Russ Smith.

Sergeant Mike Porter, the officer in charge at the scene, said police were looking for methamphetamine and firearms at the houses and the armed offenders squad was called in to help with entry.

Drugs were found at the scene, but police have yet to reveal the nature of the haul.

One of three people in the house at the time of raid said he was terrified when the police used stun guns to enter. "It is like a shotgun going off next to your ear," he said.

The three vineyard workers were handcuffed and put on the floor, he said.

The scene on Rapaura Road was hectic this morning, with a robotic vehicle unloaded from a helicopter to deal with the small bomb. Armed police with dogs milled around the area while some onlookers gathered to watch the events unfold.

- nzpa