It’s the story of a South African journalist, Taupo police and a drug search.
Vata Ngobeni is a senior sports journalist for Pretoria News.
Like many foreign journalists he is here for the Rugby World Cup. In Vata’s case, he is travelling with the Springboks.
But over the weekend he became a story himself when he was taken from a bar in Taupo, driven to the local police station, accused of drug dealing and formally searched.
No drugs were found.
Vata says he was only targeted because he is black.
Campbell Live brings you Vata’s story, the police response and the local people wanting to put things right.
Watch Mihingarangi Forbes’ report
Late this afternoon police released a statement saying their search of Vata Ngobeni was "appropriate".
However, Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Glenn Dunbier said his staff acted appropriately after being given information by a member of the public.
Superintendant Dunbier says the situation was handled “properly and professionally” by police and the search was necessary, especially in the context of increased drug activity in Taupo during the Rugby World Cup.
“A decision was made to respond to the information, given the intelligence received about increased drug dealing in the community and the potential impact of this drug offending,” he says.
3 News