Top Comanchero member, entire chapter arrested in drug bust
Thursday, 29 August 2024
Every member of the Christchurch Comanchero chapter, and a senior national figure of the gang, have been arrested in a major police investigation.
Approximately 5kg of class A drugs, $250,000 cash, and 11 firearms were seized after 70 search warrants were executed.
Police have also seized $1.9 million worth of assets, including several motorcycles.
Police have arrested a top national Comancheros member and the bikie gang’s entire Christchurch chapter in a massive blow to its reach into the South Island.
They’ve also seized millions of dollars worth of drugs, cash, high-end jewellery and guns as part of a major eight-month investigation into the gang's alleged illicit activities.
That investigation, dubbed Operation Avon, terminated on Wednesday, when about 30 properties were raided in Christchurch and Auckland.
Eighteen men, aged 18-55, were arrested on Wednesday, and another three on Thursday.
The entire Christchurch Comanchero chapter - five patched members and 10 “nominees” - were among them, Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson said.
Stuff understands the operation has also dealt a blow to the gang’s leadership in Auckland, with a top member of the national hierachy in custody. The man can’t be identified due to a suppression order.
“Absolutely it has affected the senior leadership in Auckland,” Thompson said of the investigation.
Police had seized 5kg of class A drugs, 11 guns, ammunition, and about $250,000 cash, he said.
They also restrained $1.9m of assets, including 11 vehicles and an Auckland property. Several motorcycles were among the vehicles restrained.
Comanchero members were scarcely seen in Christchurch until last year, when the gang patched over most of the South Island chapter of the rival Rebels MC, and moved into its headquarters in Thackers Quay, Woolston in July.
Thomson said the Christchurch Comanchero chapter quickly became a “priority target” of the National Organised Crime Group (NOCG) as the gang’s “brazen alleged offending spread across New Zealand”.
“Early on, our investigation identified significant drug offending involving the Class A controlled drugs methamphetamine and cocaine, and extensive money laundering.”
Thomson said police believed the Comanchero bikie gang was the main supplier of class A drugs into the South Island, and the Operation Avon would make a “very large dent” in the local market.
The gang allegedly organised for drugs and cash to be relayed between Auckland and Christchurch every few weeks.
During the investigation, police believed they’d linked the group to more than 60kgs of class A drugs brought into the South Island, Thomson said.
The arrested men had appeared in courts in Auckland and Christchurch, and faced charges including participating in an organised criminal group, conspiracy to supply methamphetamine, and conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Further charges, including money laundering and drug dealing offences, were being considered, Thompson said.
“Operation Avon is holding those responsible to account following a meticulous investigation and coordinated response.
“Pivotally, arresting every member of the chapter will put an end to their unwanted presence in our Christchurch community.”
Seven Christchurch members of the gang and five Auckland-based members appeared at the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday afternoon via an audio-visual link.
Each of them was remanded in custody without pleas to appear again on September 24. None of them made applications for bail but all signalled the intention to do so at a later date.
The seven Christchurch-based members of the gang who appeared on Wednesday were Kelvin Waikaira, 42, Jarrad Singer, 35, Larenz Smith, 24, Petelo Sili, 35, Karl Muir, 41, as well as two other men, aged 18 and 55, who were granted interim name suppression.
The five Auckland-based members to appear were Lawrence Olliver, 46, Falaniko Taulongo, 23, Nalesoni Taulongo, 23, and two other men, aged 39 and age unknown, who were granted interim name suppression.
Together they faced at least 26 charges including conspiring to deal methamphetamine, possession of the class A drug, possession of firearms, participating in an organised criminal group and failing to assist police with a search.
The offending was alleged to have occurred between March and August this year.
Four more Christchurch based members of the gang appeared at the Christchurch District Court on Thursday morning via audio-visual link from the cells. Supporters in the public gallery waved and blew kisses towards them as they appeared on the screen.
Anthony Connor, 56, Tema Tevao, 21, Poona Kura, 33, and Maka Fau’ese Po’oi, 33, were each remanded in custody to appear with the rest of their co-defendants in September.
They did not apply for bail or name suppression.
The Comanchero Motorcycle Club established itself in New Zealand after 2014 changes to Australian immigration law, which have seen thousands of people deported here.
The deportees are known as 501s, named after the section of the Australian Migration Act that allowed for the cancellation of many of their visas.
Most have criminal convictions. Police have said some of the deportees were powerful and influential figures in the Australian underworld, who’ve brought with them professionalism, a new flashy image and significant international connections.