Gang president set to appear in court charged with breaching Gang Act

Monday, 25 November 2024

Arrests have already been made as the Government's gang patch ban rolls out. Jenna Lynch reports.

The president of the Head Hunters West chapter has been charged after he had his patch and motorbike seized.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Basham said on Monday morning the 61-year-old president had been charged after he was identified as one of five motorcyclists wearing patches in the Wellsford area at around 1.20am on November 21.

The new law banning the public display of gang insignia came into effect at one minute past midnight on November 21.

“The president was the second man to be charged in relation to this breach of the law, and his patch and motorcycle had already been seized by police during a search warrant at the Head Hunters West pad on Friday,” Basham said.

Work is ongoing to identify the remaining three motorcyclists.

The president will appear in court on Friday.

The president of the West chapter of the Head Hunters has been charged. (File photo)

Basham said while the new law was in its early days, police are encouraged by the good levels of compliance overall.

“In Whakatāne over the weekend, Manga Kahu members attending a hui chose to not wear their patches or display any insignia or regalia.”

In Manurewa on Sunday night, emergency services responded to an incident where a dirt bike had collided with a car at around 7.20pm. The dirt bike rider, a gang associate, was found at the hospital a short time later with a patched Killer Beez member.

“That man had been wearing a t-shirt showing Killer Beez insignia but had covered it up when entering the hospital. After speaking with police, the man voluntarily surrendered the t-shirt to officers and no further enforcement action was required,” Basham said.

But a Christchurch man is set to appear in court this week after police attended a family harm-related incident on Marine Parade, New Brighton. The man was wearing a Killer Beez t-shirt, which was seized.

However, some gang associates and members are very much not making the right choices - being caught in breach of the new law, while also committing other criminal offending.

Meanwhile in Gisborne, a 27-year-old patched Mangu Kaha member is set to appear in court after police responded to reports of a car being driven erratically.

He is set to appear in court charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of an offensive weapon and displaying gang insignia in public.