… thought possibly it only applies in New Zealand as I could not imagine any American police force being stupid enough to do this.

Kim Dotcom, the notorious founder of MegaUpload and one of the most-wanted alleged copyright infringers in the world, may get all his stuff back from police after a judge ruled that authorities seized his property on a faulty court order. …
That means New Zealand police went on an unlawful manhunt and illegally invaded Dotcom’s home, taking his vehicles, electronics, jewelry and all other financial assets, without a valid court order to back them up.
New Zealand Justice Judith Potter noted that it wasn’t until hours after the raid that police realized their mistakes and actually applied for the proper court order, seeking to make it retroactive by listing targeted assets that had already been seized.

The criminal case against the founder of MegaUpload still stands but this latest development may have complicated the pending extradition request by the United States. [H/T commenter Andi Cockroft on Watts Up With That .]