Auckland, Sept 11 NZPA - Two men charged after the shooting death of South Auckland policeman Don Wilkinson early today have been remanded in custody.

The two men, both with name suppression, appeared before Judge Greg Hikaka in the Manukau District Court.

One was charged with murder of Mr Wilkinson, and the other charged with assaulting him.

They have been remanded in custody until September 23.

The 46-year-old Waimauku police sergeant died shortly before 2am today, when he and a plainclothes colleague on undercover work were chased after they were disturbed planting a tracking device on a vehicle outside a suspected illegal drugs lab in Mangere East.

The officer died from a single shot and his colleague, a 44-year-old sergeant, was shot several times and assaulted.

NZPA WGT mfc kn