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Police say although compliance has been high, they are disappointed by ongoing attempts to break alert level boundary restrictions this month.
A 29-year old man from Kaiwaka was caught by officers using railway tracks to evade checkpoints and cross the alert level boundaries. Police noticed the man walking on the tracks just north of the Te Hana over-bridge and, upon arresting him, found him transporting a small quantity of methamphetamine. The man was issued with an infringement and summoned to appear in the Whangarei District Court on October 12 on a drug charge.
Another man was stopped at the Coal Hill Road checkpoint, near Mangawhai, and produced paperwork claiming he was transporting goods. Following questioning from Police, it was established that the man was using the exemption for personal reasons, to tow a boat he had just bought. Police issued the man with an infringement notice and notified the Ministry of Businesses Innovation and Employment (MBIE) of the incident.
Last week, a Northland man told officers he needed to pass through a checkpoint on State Highway 1 to charge his electric vehicle in Warkworth. Officers were under the impression that there were no charging stations at his stated destination and turned him around.
Also this month, a 33-year-old woman was arrested in Whangarei. She was initially turned around at a northern checkpoint while attempting to leave Auckland, but it is alleged she then used a paddock on a private property to avoid the checkpoint.
A 25-year-old man was also arrested north of Whangarei in breach of his bail conditions.
Police determined that the man had driven through the northern checkpoint from Auckland after allegedly claiming to have changed his bail address, deliberately misinforming officers.
Meanwhile, Police are reminding permitted workers who are crossing alert level boundaries that they must carry evidence of a recent Covid-19 test or a medical certificate.
Evidence of the test can include a text message, which will be automatically generated when the test is taken, paper confirmation or a doctor’s certificate verifying a medical examination.
As of last week, a total of 545 vehicles had been turned around at the northern checkpoints. Police say this represents just one per cent of the total volume of traffic movements.
