Police have seized about $680,000 worth of assets following the conviction of a New Plymouth man on drug manufacturing and supply charges.
In 2019, an investigation into the manufacturing and distribution of illicit drugs into the community resulted in Police executing two search warrants.
Police’s National Clandestine Laboratories Response Team located eight LSD tablets, 94 grams of methamphetamine, and 82 grams of cannabis.
About $56,000 cash was found hidden around the property.
While the investigation into this unlawful activity continued, a new investigation was launched in 2021 by the New Plymouth Criminal Investigation Branch.
One night in April, an unconscious woman was brought to New Plymouth Police Station by a taxi driver.
Police spoke to a man at the property where she had been picked up from, who later admitted giving the woman GHB that had been mixed with alcoholic drink.
The address was searched, locating over $45,000 cash, and a scene examination was conducted.
Police located a series of items, and it was determined the items were used at the property in the process of manufacturing methamphetamine.
In November 2022, Marlon John Bird was sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment in relation to the offending in 2019 and 2021.
Central Asset Recovery Unit Detective Sergeant Sam Buckley says the investigation into the man’s activities continued after the sentencing.
“Our investigation established the man’s assets were derived through unlawful and illicit means, allowing him to live a lifestyle beyond legitimate means.”
On 8 September 2025, the New Plymouth High Court issued a forfeiture order for a number of the man’s assets.
“These assets included a New Plymouth property, a 2014 Ford Ranger, over $100,000 in cash, and over $36,000 held in bank accounts.
“Once forfeited to the Crown, proceeds will be used within the community, such as projects aimed at reducing methamphetamine harm in the Taranaki area.”
Central District’s Field Crime Manager Detective Inspector Gerard Bouterey says this outcome sends a clear message.
“We want the community to know we are committed to identifying and apprehending those who manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and other controlled drugs.
“This is an excellent result for the Taranaki community and is another example of district Police collaborating with our national workgroups to achieve this sort of outcome.
“These seizures are the result of Police’s sustained efforts to disrupt the supply of controlled drugs in the community and dismantle the financial incentives that drive this offending.
“We will continue to put resources into these investigations and ensure that any profits or assets gained through criminal activity are taken from those responsible,” says Detective Inspector Bouterey.
“Methamphetamine causes significant harm to individuals, their families, and communities, and we will not tolerate those who seek to profit from that harm.”
Police encourages anyone with information about drug-related activity to contact us through our 105 services.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
An offender allegedly single-handedly responsible for $90,000 in retail crime offending has been arrested in an operation.
Police made the arrest late last week as part of a prevention operation at Lynnmall.
The 25-year-old man was located by the Area Prevention Unit who were working during late night shopping on Thursday.
Inspector Kelly Farrant, Area Prevention Manager for Waitematā West, says the man is facing 26 shoplifting charges and two burglary charges.
“The man was a person of interest in our operation and was spotted by staff just after 7.30pm, as he was wanted in connection with around $90,000 in offending.”
The charges relate to shoplifting and burglary charges in Mt Albert, Henderson, Auckland and New Lynn between April and September 2025.
The man has been remanded in custody and will appear in Waitākere District Court on 23 September.
“This is the result of great teamwork, intuition and planning,” Inspector Farrant says. “Our Area Prevention team will continue running operations that protect hard working business owners from the devastating and costly consequences of retail crime.”
Road resurfacing and rebuilds are already underway as the state highway summer maintenance season gets underway in the Wellington region.
The Wellington Transport Alliance will be resurfacing 35.6 lane kilometres of highway with asphalt and rebuilding another 5.2 kilometres. In addition, 13.9 kilometres of chipseal resurfacing will be carried out across the region.
Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Transport Alliance Manager, says drivers can expect to see significant improvements on State Highway 2 in the Hutt Valley in the lead-up to Christmas.
‘We have an extensive resurfacing programme planned from Lower Hutt to Upper Hutt. Work crews will be at multiple sites from Petone all the way north to Totara Park.
“Drivers can expect night closures and local road detours through the Hutt Valley while this work is underway,” Ms Hilliard says.
She says drivers can also expect to see more work on the urban motorway, Johnsonville to Tawa, and also between the Wellington CBD and Rongotai.
Kāpiti Coast
Ms Hilliard says work has already begun on State Highway 1 in Kuku.
“We have road rebuild works underway at Kuku. This will be followed by road rebuild at Ohau, beginning later this month.”
“We also have resurfacing work planned for Paekākāriki, Mackays Crossing, Raumati and Plimmerton,” Ms Hilliard says.
Wairarapa
Ms Hilliard says, like last year, more road rebuilds are planned for State Highway 2, Wairarapa, around April and May of next year. More details on these will be shared when their timing is confirmed.
Travel advice
Ms Hilliard appreciates the summer state highway maintenance programme is disruptive work.
“Digging up and rebuilding a highway is impactful and extensive work. Resurfacing also creates delays for the public.”
“However, the benefits are long-term. Making a major investment now reduces the need for future maintenance and ongoing regular repairs,” Ms Hilliard says.
Ms Hilliard says with all the work planned; drivers must be ready for road works, and the travel delays they can cause.
“Plan ahead and allow extra time for your journey. It is important to respect road workers and speed limits in place at road works sites.”
Why summer maintenance?
Ms Hilliard says spring, summer, and early autumn are the times when most roadworks have to happen.
“To be effective and durable, road resurfacing must be done during the warmer, drier months. Wet and cold conditions are not suitable for completing permanent and durable road repairs.”
Police investigating a fatal crash in Newbury near Palmerston North are seeking help from the public.
“The crash on Hansens Line was reported to emergency services about 9am yesterday, and we believe it occurred around 3.20am that morning,” says Detective Sergeant Shelley Ross.
“Sadly, a deceased person was found near the vehicle.”
Police seek any witnesses to at least two vehicles travelling together in the Palmerston North or Newbury area around 3:20am on Sunday 14 September.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ross says the vehicles of interest are a blue Mazda Demio and a white Nissan Tiida.
If you have any information that could assist our enquiries, please contact Police via 105 and reference file number 250914/0242.
The Government is taking action to protect mainland New Zealand’s hoiho population through a temporary emergency fishery closure, and will seek public feedback on permanent measures, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.
“I am implementing an immediate emergency closure of the set net fishery around the Otago Peninsula for a period of three months. During the closure period, officials will carry out public consultation on long-term bycatch measures to protect hoiho in the area,” Mr Jones says.
“As the self-proclaimed champion of the fisheries industry, I do not make this decision lightly. I am deeply conscious of the effect this will have on the livelihoods of fishers in the area, and people should not be under the misapprehension that I am softening my pro-industry stance. I acknowledge the voluntary closure put forward by fishers but if we are putting in place a closure, it needs to be more substantial than that proposed.”
“I have directed officials to consult on what permanent measures could be put in place to reduce the impact of fishing on hoiho.”
The public consultation on permanent measures to address hoiho bycatch is being developed by Fisheries New Zealand and will start in the next few weeks.
Proposals in this consultation will include extending a current set net ban around Otago Peninsula and an escalating response framework aimed at reducing hoiho bycatch in fisheries towards zero.
Hoiho, yellow-eyed penguin, are a taonga species and the northern population, encompassing hoiho on the mainland and Rakiura/Stewart Island, is threatened.
“A new scientific assessment commissioned by Fisheries New Zealand, which will be publicly released shortly, shows the greatest threats to the northern hoiho are starvation and predation, followed by fishing and disease,” Mr Jones says.
Construction on a new bridge replacement on State Highway 43 (SH43) the Forgotten World Highway will get underway this month, kicking off a raft of priority bridge replacements across the country, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop.
“In the next two years, 13 bridges and culverts right across the country will either be replaced or receive significant renewal work. This is an increase on the nine bridges and culverts which originally formed this project to replace priority bridges,” Mr Bishop says.
“Replacing and renewing these bridges and culverts is an important step in bridging the gap between old infrastructure and a modern, resilient transport network for people and freight.
“Kururau Stream Water Drive, between Taumarunui and Whangamōmona, is the first of these bridges to begin construction.
“The SH43 Forgotten World Highway is an iconic back country journey and is an important route for tourism in New Zealand. Because of the remote nature of the Forgotten World Highway, taking alternative routes can also add significant time to journeys. This bridge replacement will ensure locals and visitors can continue to use this highway efficiently in future.
“The Kururau Stream Water Drive on SH43 is a hand dug culvert tunnelled through soft, sedimentary rock. At around 80 years old, it’s an example of early local engineering. However, the structure has suffered natural erosion over time, leading to the need for a more reliable replacement for the state highway network.
“Construction on a new 20-metre bridge at the SH43 Kururau Stream Water Drive location is expected to begin later this month. The new modern, resilient bridge will be built over an 8-month period and will bypass the current ageing water drive structure with an improved alignment. This project is expected to cost around $3.6 million.
“The work to repair or upgrade many end-of-life bridges and culverts was given the green light by NZ Transport Agency in July last year. Since that announcement, a further four priority locations have been added to the list, and NZTA has worked through the design, consenting, and contracting so construction can start.
“Many of these culverts or bridges are important connections between rural communities and are vital routes for industry, freight and tourism.
“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for this Government, and with many bridges across the country requiring speed and weight restrictions due to their age and condition, it is essential these bridges are replaced with more modern and resilient structures.
“Our state highways are critical routes for freight and tourism and serve as important lifelines for communities around New Zealand. We expect our state highway bridges to be well maintained and managed and that’s why this replacement and maintenance work is so crucial.
“I look forward to seeing work on the Kururau Stream Water Drive Bridge get underway.” Bridges/culverts set to be replaced in coming years: • SH3 Mangapepeke No. 1 Culvert, Taranaki (new addition for 2024-27 period) • SH3 Mangapepeke No. 2 Culvert, Taranaki • SH43 Kururau Stream Water Drive, Whanganui • SH25 Pepe Stream Bridge, Coromandel • SH82 Elephant Hill Bridge, South Canterbury • SH82 Waihao North Bridge, South Canterbury • SH6 Coal Creek Overbridge, West Coast • SH25 Ramarama Stream Bridge, Waikato • SH27 Ohinekaua Bridge, Waikato • SH36 Hauraki Stream Culvert, Bay of Plenty
Bridge maintenance renewal works: • SH25 Boundary Creek Bridge (new addition for 2024-27 period) • SH35 Mangahauini No. 1 Bridge (new addition for 2024-27 period) • SH38 Frasertown Bridge (new addition for 2024-27 period)
Ko tēnei Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – it’s Māori Language Week!
This year’s a big one. Aotearoa is celebrating 50 years since the first Māori Language Week in 1975. That’s 50 years of the revitalisation of te reo Māori: in our kura, communities, workplaces – and out in te taiao, nature.
Te reo Māori, like so many of New Zealand’s taonga, is threatened. But – like the environment – with collective understanding, care and action, the language will thrive.
This week we’re getting stuck in to some of the 50 reo-based wero/challenges developed by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. There’s a wero for everyone, whether you’re fluent, just starting out, or somewhere in between.
We reckon wero #12, ‘Taiao Tally’, is a good place to start when you’re out naturing in the ngahere.
For help learning Māori words and phrases you can use in nature, check out the ‘Kia Kaha te Reo Taiao’ booklet developed by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the Ministry of Education and DOC.
The booklet was developed to provide information about the natural world, and to help you become familiar with te reo Māori words and phrases you can use while you are out enjoying te taiao, the unique environment of Aotearoa.
Below, we’ve paired 5 useful phrases from the booklet with some small things you can do to make a big difference for nature. Give it a go!
1. Say ‘kāo’ to single-use plastics
Hei aha te kirihou, kei te whakaiti au i te nui o aku para
No plastic thanks, I’m trying to cut down on waste
We share te ao o Tangaroa, our marine environment, with more than 15,000 known species – including more species of manu tai/seabird than anywhere else in the world.
But things aren’t going well for our seabirds. More of them are at risk from ocean plastic than anywhere else in the world, and over 90% are in serious trouble.
Each single-use plastic you say no to, or pick up, makes a difference to nature.
📷: DOC
2. Protect our wai Māori/fresh water
Kaua e whakakino i te wai
Don’t pollute the water
Water is essential to the Kiwi way of life. It’s where we swim. It’s where we fish. It sustains our economy.
But two-thirds of New Zealand’s awa/rivers aren’t clean enough to swim in, and nearly 4 out of 5 of our freshwater fish species are in serious trouble.
Te wao nui a Tāne, New Zealand’s native flora, evolved in isolation for
millions of years. 80% of our trees, ferns and flowering plants are found only in Aotearoa.
Plant a ponga, or a kōwhai, or any of the other 2,000 plant species unique to this whenua, and you’ll be providing kai and a home for native animals like birds, bats, insects and lizards. Tau kē!
📷: Georgia Rewi | DOC
4. Connect with te taiao
Me hāereere pea tāua i te ngahere i ngā rā whakatā
Shall we go for a bushwalk this weekend?
Getting out into nature with friends or whānau makes you feel better. It will make you want to repay the favour.
If you’re looking for ideas, you’ll find short walks, day hikes, campsites and more on DOC’s discover the outdoors map.
All around Aotearoa, Kiwis are bringing back the birds by trapping introduced predators, creating fenced sanctuaries and planting natives. You can bring the dawn chorus back to your backyard too – find out how.
Using kupu Māori in your everyday life, and out in nature, is an act of aroha for te reo Māori. Every word, and every speaker, counts. No action is too small to make a difference.
Kia kaha te reo Māori. Kia kaha te reo taiao.
Toitū te marae o Tāne Toitū te marae o Tangaroa Toitū te iwi
The land endures The sea endures We, the people, endure
New Zealand Food Safety invites you to submit feedback on a proposed section 33 (s.33) group exemption for some home-based cake makers and decorators.
The exemption would allow home-based cake makers or decorators of shelf-stable cakes to operate without a registered Food Control Plan or National Programme.
This consultation would be of particular interest to:
home-based cake makers or decorators
registration authorities
evaluators and verifiers
food safety officers.
You can make submissions by 11.59pm on 28 September 2025.
New Zealand Food Safety is proposing to change the regulatory requirements for:
home-based cake makers who make shelf-stable cakes (cakes that do not need to be kept under temperature control to keep them safe and suitable)
cake decorators of shelf-stable cakes.
Currently, home-based makers of shelf-stable cakes are required under the Food Act 2014 to register a Food Control Plan. Cake decorators of shelf-stable cakes have to register under National Programme Level 2.
Because shelf-stable cakes present a lower level of food safety risk, we’re proposing that home-based cake makers and cake decorators (of shelf-stable cakes) are exempt (as a class or group) from the requirement to operate with a Food Control Plan or National Programme.
Note: If you are a home-based cake maker or cake decorator of non-shelf-stable cakes or other bakery products or other foods, the exemption will not apply to you.
Proposed food notice
The proposed food notice will specify the exemptions and any conditions, including:
taking steps to make sure the business operates according to good hygiene practices, including ensuring the competency of people who process and handle food at the business
informing the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) if there is something wrong with a product that is likely to pose an immediate threat to public health.
Cake makers and decorators who are eligible for the exemption will still be required to have systems in place to trace the origin of food ingredients and to manage a food recall, if required.
Making your submission
Submissions will be accepted up until 11.59pm on 28 September 2025. Submissions can be made online, by email or post, or by completing the online submission survey at the link below.
Proposed Food Act Section 33 Exemption Food Risk Management – New Zealand Food Safety Ministry for Primary Industries PO Box 2526 Wellington 6140.
Tips when writing your submission
Where possible, comments should be specific to a particular section in the consultation documents.
All major sections are numbered and these numbers can be used to link comments to the document.
Where possible, reasons and data to support comments may be provided.
The use of examples to illustrate particular points is encouraged.
After the consultation closes
MPI will consider all submissions at the expiry of the consultation period and make a recommendation to the relevant decision maker about the exemptions. A document outlining the analysis of all submissions received will be made available to all submitters.
Submissions are public information
Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.
People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.
If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.