Ban the gangs

Recently, there has been discussion with regard to the gangs that have infested our community in increasing numbers, committing crimes and making a public nuisance by intimidating and threatening people in breach of the Crimes Act article 86.

The Daily News editor wrote an editorial in which he asked for our opinion on gangs. So far there have been no responses to his invitation.

The police make statements advising that they are watching the gangs.

The question is why do we have gangs, and why do we tolerate and allow them to exist?

We’ve heard the political threats of abolishment of gangs going back to David Lange’s time and beyond, but all that has happened since then is a possible sentence and confiscation of property when they are actually caught in possession of drugs, and/or financial proceeds from the sale of drugs and stolen goods.

The issue is that the gangs are allowed to exist in spite of the Crimes Act 1961, amended in 2002, which is explicit in Section 98A ‘Participation in organised criminal group’ where ‘‘every person commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years who participates in an organised criminal group’’.

In reading the Act in its entirety there is no way that the two main gangs we have in Taranaki, and New Zealand for that matter, can legally exist as it would be reasonable to claim that all members have a criminal conviction and past, and are engaged in criminal activities, either actively participating, or in sharing the objectives of the gang/criminal group which is what this Act is about.

The Act is ‘in perpetuate’ meaning that any member who continues to be a member of the group/gang continues to break the law.

It’s time that the police and the Mayor had a meeting, and in consultation review the powers they have under the law and enforce it, and ban these gangs permanently.

D. Hedley, New Plymouth