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PAC: NZ police barred from brothel raids after man dies


21 Feb 2009 7:55 AM

WELLINGTON, Feb 21 NZPA - Police officers have been banned from accompanying Immigration officials on potentially unlawful brothel raids after a man leapt to his death during a raid being filmed for reality television.

The 38-year-old Manukau man, believed to have been a customer, panicked and jumped seven metres from the window after uniformed police, Immigration officers and television burst in to the Auckland bordello Salon 33 in November 2007.

He died from his injuries the day after the raid which was being filmed for TVNZ reality television series Borderline, which documents immigration officers' work.

Since the raid, a top Auckland detective has questioned the legality of the raids, documents obtained by The Dominion Post newspaper reveal.

As a result officers have been banned from taking part in the Immigration-led raids for more than a year because of concerns about their legality.

NZPA ss