Public feeling gang consequences – union

As gang numbers surge in New Zealand, ordinary Kiwis are starting to feel the consequences, the police union is warning.

It comes after Stuff revealed a flashy new breed of suited gangster had drawn the ire of Police Minister Stuart Nash, who plans to increase police powers to target the criminal kingpins.

The New Zealand Police Association President, Chris Cahill, gave a stark reality check to those attending the first day of the union’s conference yesterday.

Indigenous gangs in New Zealand were increasing in size and sophistication, with the so-called ‘‘501 deportees’’ from Australia and the influence of Asian organised crime groups, he said.

‘‘We know for sure that the face of organised crime is evolving rapidly; borders are increasingly porous to its tentacles in this internet age.’’

For a long time the public was immune from the overt activities of gangs. Most Kiwis were likely to suffer the downstream effects such as being burgled by an offender who needed to pay gang drug debts, he said.

However, as gang numbers increase, gangs and their activities are becoming more visible along with inter-gang warfare, he said.

The latest figures reported by

Stuff on Sunday show a 26 per cent increase in gang numbers in the last two years – with almost 1400 new gang members in that time.

Threats to law and order in New Zealand are meth use and organised crime – the two went hand in hand, he said.

The UN estimates the illicit meth market in Australia and New Zealand is now worth $11.1 billion, partly because of high wholesale and retail prices.

‘‘High-level Mexican drug cartels are now targeting New Zealand because selling drugs here is so lucrative. In the last year alone New Zealand police seized one and a half tonne of meth and an increased volume of cocaine,’’ Cahill said.

‘‘However my biggest concern is the rapid growth in gang numbers and the effect this will have on the lives of New Zealanders. What does it say when young people are increasingly considering gang membership as their future? Our members see disconnected, angry, confused and unloved young people turning to gangs as a ‘family’.’’

Now the Mongrel Mob even want to establish a female chapter: ‘‘This is bordering on the absurd when we know the harm this gang has caused to so many women,’’ he said.

Police were now calling for strategies to intervene and asking the Government to introduce laws that ‘‘hammer gangs destroying families through intimidation, dealing drugs and taxing’’, he said.

Police Minister Stuart Nash said he was looking at changing the law to make it easier for police to confiscate the assets of criminals by amending the Proceeds of Crime legislation, and also making it easier to go after gang leaders by amending S98a of the Crimes Act – the kingpin clause.

He would soon announce the next steps around Firearms Prohibition Orders – which he signalled in July would be a priority after tighter gun laws.