Rural Tauranga in lockdown as armed police storm area following explosions

Explosions have been heard coming from a rural Tauranga superette as armed police swooped on the area this morning.

A police spokeswoman earlier said police were conducting a search warrant in the area and the Armed Offender Squad was helping, but she would not release any further information.

A reporter at the scene said a couple of loud bangs which sounded like explosions were heard about 9.15am coming from behind the Whakamarama Superette, on the main highway between Tauranga and Katikati.

A Bay of Plenty Times reader who was travelling towards Tauranga at 8.30am said Barrett Rd, leading to State Highway 2, had been shut down and traffic was heavily backed up.

A reporter at the scene said police had cordoned off Barrett Rd leading into Whakamarama Rd.

He said people were not allowed into the Whakamarama superette on SH2.

"There is a scattering of police between Te Puna and Whakamarama."

- More to come.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.