Te Puke man further remanded on drugs charges

A Te Puke man facing a raft of charges after police pulled up a vehicle allegedly carrying a methamphetamine laboratory has been further remanded in custody.

Eric Ronaki, 34, appeared before Judge Peter Rolo in the Tauranga District Court yesterday on 14 drugs and firearms charges. No pleas were entered and his presence is to be excused at a pre-depositions hearing next month.

Ronaki was in a car stopped in Tauranga early on July 19 after a report of erratic driving.

Besides the meth-lab, police allegedly found $40,000 and other class A drugs, including P and LSD.

Ronaki, believed to be on an arrest warrant, ran off but was found soon after and charged with possession of a 9mm pistol as well as breaching parole.

Additional charges relating to the incident have been laid since.

Meanwhile, Tauranga police are still looking for Raymond Whare, 43, a member of the Mongrel Mob's Te Puke chapter, who was with Ronaki at the time.

Anyone who knows of Whare's whereabouts can contact police on 0800 SPEAK UP.

- NZPA