MEN ALLEGEDLY HELD AT GUNPOINT IN CANNABIS GROVE

Two members of a group of four men were allegedly held at gunpoint
and beaten after being found in a South Taranaki cannabis plantation,
police say.

Detective Sergeant Blair Burnett of Hawera said the four, aged
between 15 and 26, allegedly spent Sunday combing coastal wastelands
looking for cannabis.

They discovered a grove of 22 plants in a clearing among gorse and
blackberry, but were interrupted by two men, one allegedly armed with a rifle.

"Two of the young guys did a runner, dived over the gorse and
blackberry into the stream and got away, the other two were allegedly
taken hostage at gunpoint," Mr Burnett told the Taranaki Daily News.

The hostages were also allegedly beaten and subjected to demands and
death threats before one managed to get away.

His companion received a few more bruises and abuse before eventually
being let go.

Police were called after suspicion was raised by the behaviour of the
two members of the group who first escaped. They were arrested and
their story started to come out.

On Monday warrants were issued and searches made and yesterday two
men aged 28 and 40 made a brief court appearance in Hawera facing
serious assault, cultivation and firearms charges. They were released
on bail to appear again on April 11.