At least 20 arrests have been made this week following a months-long investigation into offences police believe are linked to the Mongrel Mob in Southland.
Police told 1News this number includes the 11 people that were detained earlier this week, all of whom have ties to the Mongrel Mob.
Arrests have now been made in Mataura, Gore, Invercargill, Dunedin and Hamilton, with additional arrests in Auckland and Hawke's Bay.
Police said on Wednesday the alleged offences include attempted murder, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and firearms offences.
A police spokesperson said inquiries remained ongoing and that further arrests could not be ruled out.
In total, 85 charges have now been filed under Operation Pakari, the Southland-based police effort focused on gang-based violent offending.
Operation Pakari an 'immense' task
The geographically-focused operation falls under the umbrella of Operation Cobalt, a nationwide effort to crack down on gang activity.
Southland Area Commander Inspector Mike Bowman said on Wednesday that gangs "are not welcome here; we see the harm they inflict through organised criminal activity and we will target the people who seek to profit from that harm".
He said the planning behind Operation Pakari was "immense" and involved "a number of connected incidents over several months".
"The first of these incidents was in late January 2022, which spurred further violent offending in the form of drive-by shootings, and violent assaults which left people with critical injuries," he said.
Police said around 50 staff from across Southland and Southern District assisted with the operation, including the Invercargill and Dunedin-based armed offenders squad, as well as North Island-based members of the national organised crime group.
Bowman also said police were focused on whānau and household members directly affected by the 20 arrests to date.
"This has involved specialist family liaison officers entering homes directly following these warrants, looking to engage with those left behind once an arrest has been made."
Following recent events, police said Southland communities can expected an expanded police presence over the coming weeks.
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