7 Apr 2014

Police seek extension of Dotcom orders

1:01 pm on 7 April 2014

The restraining orders imposed on property belonging to internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom will expire on Good Friday but police are applying to extend them.

Police seized luxury cars, jewellery, artwork and other property, when they raided Mr Dotcom's Auckland mansion more than two years ago.

Kim Dotcom.

Kim Dotcom. Photo: RNZ

Bank accounts were also frozen at the request of the United States, which put millions of dollars in assets out of his reach.

Lawyers for Mr Dotcom and his wife told the High Court on Monday they would like the orders to simply lapse and do not want a hearing on the matter.

However, Justice Gilbert said he would try to get a hearing date for next week before the Easter break.

Mr Dotcom, a German national with New Zealand residency, was arrested during a raid on 19 January 2012 and is fighting extradition to the United States to face copyright, money laundering and fraud charges.

In June last year, the High Court ruled that the warrants were too broad and therefore invalid and since then Mr Dotcom has been fighting to get back personal items including computer hard-drives seized in the raid.