A 35-year-old man is facing a number of firearm and drug charges after being caught by police holding restricted items in his vehicle at a traffic stop in Auckland.
At 4am today the man was stopped at Ponsonby Road where police seized a pistol, ammunition, a taser device, a machete, methamphetamine and other paraphernalia.
Police said the driver initially told them he was an essential worker.
“However, our inquiries have revealed this is not the case,” police said in a statement.
Police then searched his vehicle and found the items inside.
The man faces charges including unlawful possession of a pistol, possessing an offensive weapon, unlawful possession of a restricted weapon, using a forged document, possession of methamphetamine and possession of paraphernalia.
He’s also been charged under the Health Act for breaching COVID-19 Alert Level 4 restrictions, police said.