Taranaki gang numbers kept secret

Police national headquarters has refused to release details about the number of gang members living in Taranaki out of fear it could spark a turf war.

Rising gang numbers in the region are said to be part of a national trend, but the emergence of Mongrel Mob members blatantly flaunting their colours and setting up a base in New Plymouth has concerned some residents.

Through the Official Information Act, The Taranaki Daily News attempted to obtain details of which gangs had a presence in the region, how many members each had and where the Mongrel Mob members had come from.

While gang activity is closely monitored by police at a local level and nationally by the Gang Intelligence Centre, they’re reluctant to share the information, with National Intelligence Centre acting manager Trevor Dickinson-McLachlan declining the request fearing it could spark trouble between rival groups.

‘‘The information you have requested is withheld to prevent the possibility of disclosure leading to the provocation of intergang rivalry and an increase in serious offending,’’ Dickinson-McLachlan said. ‘‘Police does not share detailed information held by the Gang Intelligence Centre, including numbers of gang members broken down into localised areas, gangs or ages of individuals.’’

Dickinson-McLachlan did say there were currently 640 patched and prospect gang members who had recorded addresses in the Central Police District, which includes Taranaki.

However, in 2015 information released under the OIA gave the number of patched and prospect members for gangs in Taranaki, including Black Power, Magogs, Mongrel Mob, Aotearoa Natives, Filthy Few, Greasy Dogs, Head Hunters, Hells Angels, Highway 61, Huhu MC, Nomads, Rebels, Satan’s Slaves, Tribesmen, Tyrants, Axe Throwers, Coastal Riders Native Sons and Uru Taha.

Members of the Mob have become more visible in Taranaki, which is well-known Black Power territory, during the last 18 months where in the past wearing the gang’s distinctive bright red colours has been known to provoke brutal attacks and even murders.

While the Mob’s pad in Moturoa, New Plymouth, has been shot at, and raided by police – and there have been some skirmishes and violent clashes – the severity of the brutality has not reached the previous levels.

In 2008, Peri Niwa was stabbed to death by Black Power members who mistook him for a member of the Mongrel Mob. In 2010 four Black Power members were given lengthy jail terms for his death.

There have also been reports of more patched Black Power members being seen around in region, particularly in Stratford where one woman, who would not be named, said she saw six recently. ‘‘It’s the first time I have seen them out in numbers since I’ve been in Stratford, more than 12 years,’’ she said.

Leading gang expert Dr Jarrod Gilbert said the power vacuum created when the Black Power members were jailed could have given the Mongrel Mob the opportunity to gain a foothold in the region.