The police operation is targeting the Mongrel Mob Barbarian Motorcycle East Bay chapter. File photo Photo: supplied
Police say they have prevented two potential murders and seized drugs and guns as well as $800,000 worth of assets they allege are the proceeds of crime, in a crackdown on an Ōpōtiki gang.
Twenty-eight people were arrested on Tuesday in search warrants executed around the North Island as part of Operation Highwater, a concentrated operation targeting the Mongrel Mob Barbarian Motorcycle East Bay chapter.
Police national organised crime group director Detective Superintendent Greg Williams and Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson fronted media in Tauranga on Tuesday outlining the significance and success of the operation.
Anderson said it was a good day for Ōpōtiki.
"Termination of this operation is a clear message to gang members selling illegal drugs across the Bay of Plenty, that we will find you, and we will hold you accountable for your destructive behaviour.
"We will continue to relentlessly pursue criminals who prey upon our communities and cause a huge amount of harm and misery in their very own communities with their drug dealing and violent behaviour."
Read more:
Community and iwi leaders had "had a gutsful" of the offending and the impact it was having on their families and friends, he said.
The Police national organised crime group began Operation Highwater in December last year following an increase in violent crime and other offending in Ōpōtiki.
An image released by police showing one of the five rifles and 13 Mongrel Mob gang patches seized as part of Operation Highwater. Photo: NZ Police / Supplied
Search warrants were executed on Tuesday across Eastern Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Auckland, Rotorua, Taupō and Hawke's Bay targeting those believed to be involved in a North Island-wide drugs distribution network involving methamphetamine and cannabis, Williams said.
Arrests were made in Bay Of Plenty (18), Auckland (three), Waikato (three), Wellington (two) and Eastern (two), and police seized significant quantities of illegal drugs and firearms.
This included five rifles and a 3D-printed pistol; drugs including more than 5kg of cannabis, smaller quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine; one house; a jetski; four cars; two trail bikes; a Harley Davidson bike; $65,000 in cash, $87,000 in a bank account; as well as 13 Mongrel Mob Barbarian patches.
A number of people appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Tuesday afternoon and others would appear in other courts in coming days, he said.
"Today's actions follow the execution of warrants in the Coromandel area over several days in August this year, after the Operation Highwater investigation team identified a flow of methamphetamine into the area," Williams said.
A further six people were arrested in Whitianga and Coromandel and methamphetamine, cannabis and a firearm were seized.
More gang members were being targeted in the Eastern Bay of Plenty as Williams and Anderson spoke.
The pair said the 10-month investigation was an exemplary example of an "all-of-police" approach, which they said also detected and prevented serious violence.
"One such incident saw police deploy to Ōpōtiki after receiving information about a planned drive-by shooting at an Eastern Bay of Plenty marae.
"Quick action by police suppressed the planned actions and located and seized three firearms, including a high-powered rifle, shotguns and ammunition, preventing what could have been a serious incident."
Gang members committed a disproportionate amount of crime and harm in New Zealand, Williams said, particularly regarding serious assault, robberies, drug and firearms offences, and homicides.
"We continue to have a strong focus on disrupting unlawful activity by gang members and their associates, and holding offenders to account for crimes committed."
Communities were being controlled by gangs through drug addiction and debt, and the concern now was that children were being used as pawns to sell gang drugs.
"We're seeing it up in Murupara at the moment where kids are taking it to school and trying to give it to other kids and this really worries me in terms of the harm that meth causes in those communities.
"Police are committed to doing everything we can to ensure everybody is safe and feels safe too. We urge anyone who has concerns about criminal offending by gangs in their community to contact police so this can be investigated."