Six men have been charged in Auckland on Friday after police from the Organised Crime Unit carried out a series of search warrants targeting members of the Rebels MC gang.
In a statement, Detective Inspector Aaron Pascoe, Auckland City District said a 34-year-old man was charged with participating in an Organised Criminal Group, Possession of Methamphetamine for Supply, while five others, aged from 25 to 39 were charged with Participating in an Organised Criminal Group and police cannot rule out the possibility of further charges being laid.
It comes after six addresses in the suburbs of East Tāmaki, Mangere, Clendon Park, Papakura and Manurewa were subject to search warrants on Friday and as a result six males were arrested and charged.
Firearms, ammunition and methamphetamine were seized by police during the investigation.
Pascoe said Operation Ryleigh commenced in July after tensions between Rebels MC and King Cobra gangs saw a series of arsons carried out in Auckland earlier this year.
“As a result of this investigation police identified further alleged serious criminal offending, in addition to the arsons, including the possession and supply of methamphetamine and the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition,” Pascoe said.
All six are expected to appear in Counties Manukau District Court on Friday.
“In addition to the six arrested today, two 27 year olds, who were already before the courts on related offending, will also be facing additional charges of Participating in an Organised Criminal Group, and one will face further additional charges of Unlawfully Possess a Firearm and ammunition, Supplies Methamphetamine, while the other faces further additional charges of Supplies Methamphetamine, offer to supply Methamphetamine and Supplies Cannabis Plant.”
Pascoe says “while our investigations into the series of arsons remains ongoing, today’s arrests show police’s ongoing commitment to stamping out criminal offending by organised crime groups and that we will ensure they are held accountable for the harm they continue to cause throughout our communities.
“Lives and families are destroyed by methamphetamine, and gangs are at the centre of that destruction,” Pascoe said.
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