Nearly all of Comanchero gang facing charges following three-year investigation
Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Nearly all of the Comanchero Motorcycle Gang and its associates are facing charges following a three-year investigation into bikie gang.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said on Tuesday 137 charges had been laid against 17 ‘office’ holders, 10 patched members and 14 prospects of the gang.
The charges were the result of four phases of the investigation.
Police have 'dealt a blow right to the heart' of the Comanchero Motorcycle Gang, police commissioner Andrew Coster says.
Nearly all of the Comanchero Motorcycle Gang and its associates are facing charges following a three-year investigation into the bikie gang.
Coster said on Tuesday 137 charges had been laid against 17 ‘office’ holders, 10 patched members and 14 prospects of the gang.
The charges were the result of four phases of the investigation.
“Police allege the Comancheros were operating as an organised criminal group conducting a complex money laundering operation; drug importation and supply operations; and a ‘Commission’ scheme to fund, amongst other things, military-style training for some of its members,” Coster said.
Coster said the investigation represented “the single biggest blow” to the Comancheros’ operations since Operation Nova in December 2020.
“Police have dealt a blow right to the heart of this gang’s alleged activities, it is an exceptional outcome and shows the dedication of Police investigators over the course of three years.”
Police believe the investigation would have a considerable impact on the Comanchero gang.
“From the moment the gang established a presence in this country, they made it very clear they saw themselves as the number one gang in this country,” Coster said.
“From the very beginning, there has been a multi-agency effort to continuously target, disrupt and enforce criminal activity that has been taking place.”
Police have worked alongside Customs, Corrections and Inland Revenue as part of these investigations.
“This sends a message that there will be an all of government response to the criminal offending, and misery that organised criminal groups continue to plague our communities.”
The most recent phase of the investigation, dubbed Operation Embargo, sought evidence about a directive allegedly sent out to Comanchero members three years ago.
It is alleged this directive ordered members to follow rules being set up around the ‘Commission’.
“This commission processes allegedly raised funds to purchase a gang pad, two businesses as well as purchasing of firearms,” Commissioner Coster says.
“Police will also allege that these funds were being used to carry out military-styled training of 15 of its members by a trainer brought into the country for this purpose.”
It was alleged there would be a $5000 commission on every kilogram sold by their members.
Earlier this month, 62 search warrants were carried out on residential properties and vehicles across New Zealand.
In total, Police seized 2.6 kilograms of cannabis, 760 grams of cocaine, 172 rounds of ammunition, and 83 mobile phones.
Four firearms, including two sawn-off shotguns, were seized. Police also located 39 other electronic devices and 32 Comanchero patches.
In July 2021 the National Organised Crime Group commenced phase one of this investigation dubbed Operation Scuba.
The operation was a complex money laundering investigation.
Coster said it would be alleged the investigation showed that profit from the gang’s illegal activities was used to fund the gang’s criminal offending and acquisitions.
In total $5.8 million worth of assets were restrained, including two properties. In March 11 people were charged.
In July 2023 police terminated Operation Brewer, the second phase of the joint operation between police and Customs.
It resulted in 200 kilograms of methamphetamine being found hidden in farm machinery.
Following six search warrants being carried out across Auckland, eight people were charged with a variety of serious drug-related offences.
Late last month, Police arrested every patched member of the Christchurch chapter of the gang as part of Operation Avon.
The investigation targeted regular cash and drug runs between Auckland and Christchurch.
Seventy warrants were carried out across Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland. Twenty-two people have been charged with a variety of serious offences.
Police also seized 6.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, four firearms, nine Comanchero patches.
Around $222,000 in cash was recovered, along with $1.9 million in assets were restrained.
By the numbers – Cumulative results since 2021:
206 kilograms of methamphetamine (equating to millions of dollars in social harm if it got into the community)
1.76 kilograms of Cocaine (equating $657,500 in social harm)
2.6 kilograms of cannabis
15 firearms
1,184 rounds of ammunition
5 properties
14 vehicles, including motorbikes.
41 Comanchero patches
$ 9.2 million in assets restrained.
$1.275 million in cash
More than 250 electronic devices seized