New firearms bans in gang crackdown
The Government will create new laws to target flashy gang leaders and violent criminals, in a crackdown on organised crime and firearm ownership.
Yesterday at the Beehive, Police Minister Poto Williams and Justice Minister Kris Faafoi announced the Government’s plan to introduce Firearm Prohibition Orders and bolster police powers to seize the assets of organised criminals.
‘‘This Government is very clear that gangs and other violent criminals cannot continue to threaten, intimidate in exploiting our communities,’’ Williams said.
The proposed measures come as police work to tackle to ‘‘heightened’’ gang activity.
Last month, Williams named the Mongols and Head Hunters as two gangs involved in a shooting at Auckland’s Sofitel hotel.
Under the Government’s proposed laws, Firearm Prohibition Orders would ban people charged with serious offences from owning firearms, residing in a house with firearms, or being near guns.
An amendment to the Criminal Proceeds Act, which allows police to seize assets thought to be acquired through crime, will allow police to seize assets ‘‘where the person’s known legitimate income is likely to have been insufficient to acquire the asset’’ – without the person facing a criminal charge.
‘‘We’re finding that gang leadership are structuring their affairs to remove themselves from the crime, but benefiting from the crime,’’ Faafoi said.
The measure would also ‘‘take away an option for recruitment for gangs’’, he said, as there was evidence of gang leaders using expensive items including clothes and shoes to attract new members.
The Government’s proposed Firearm Prohibition Orders will go further than the National Party’s proposal, as the orders will apply to not just gang members, but also to people charged with firearms offences, violent crimes, and terrorism offences.
However, the orders would be applied by a judge after the person has been convicted of an offence. The National Party had proposed the police commissioner be given discretion to place the prohibition order on gang members.
Williams said the Government’s proposed orders would have ‘‘judicial oversight’’.