Armed police took three men into custody.
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

A Facebook Marketplace transaction gone wrong in the Far North led to alleged confrontation with a gun, a car chase and armed police spiking the suspects’ vehicle.

Detective senior sergeant Chris Fouhy said the dispute started near Kāeo, with police receiving a call about 8pm on Monday that a man was being chased north on State Highway 10 by another vehicle.

A firearm was also reportedly pointed at the victim.

Fouhy said multiple police units responded from across the district and managed to stop the chasing vehicle using road spikes at Taipā Bridge around 9pm.

Armed police then took the three men in the car into custody without further incident.

They were aged between 16 and 19.

Fouhy said the dispute appeared to have been sparked by a Facebook Marketplace transaction.

Enquiries were continuing into the full circumstances of what happened, how many cars were involved and the whereabouts of the reported firearm.

It is not known what was being sold on Marketplace.

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