Arrests And Seizures Following Gisborne Search Warrants
Detective Sergeant Eric Hunter:
Gisborne Police
have arrested a Black Power associate in connection with
the
October shooting of a rival gang member, and seized
firearms and ammunition
after executing search warrants
at gang addresses across the town.
The operation
targeted firearms and gangs and was carried out over
several
days, with the support of the Armed Offenders
Squad.
This morning, Police seized a .303 rifle at a
residential address linked to
the Black Power gang. The
firearm is believed to be linked to the October
27
shooting of a Mongrel Mob member in Gisborne.
An
18-year-old Black Power gang associate is to be charged with
wounding with
intent to cause grievous bodily harm in
connection with the shooting. He
faces a further charge
of discharging a firearm with intent to intimidate
in
relation to a series of shootings in Gisborne over 26
and 27 October.
The seized .303 rifle was stolen
during a burglary several months ago.
Enquiries into that
event, and the subsequent shootings are ongoing and
more
arrests are expected.
Today’s operation
follows search warrants at Gisborne addresses on
Tuesday
and Wednesday.
Early on Tuesday, Police
executed a warrant that led to the recovery of two
rifles
and shotgun ammunition from a residential address and a
29-year-old
patched Mongrel Mob member faces charges of
unlawful possession of a firearm
and ammunition when he
appears in the Gisborne District Court on Monday
11
December.
On Wednesday, police and the Armed
Offenders Squad apprehended a 21-year-old
Mongrel Mob
member at a separate Gisborne address. The man had
outstanding
warrants for his arrest and has been charged
with aggravated burglary with a
firearm, wounding with
intent to injure, discharging a firearm with
intent,
threatening to kill, threatening to cause
grievous bodily harm, and demanding
with intent to
steal.
He is due to appear in court on these, and
other existing charges, today. A
woman at the same
address, who is a gang associate, was arrested and
charged
with possession of methamphetamine and breaching
court bail conditions, and
is also expected to appear in
court today.
Police work incredibly hard to keep our
communities safe, and we will
continue to make every
effort to disrupt gang activity and hold offenders
to
account.
We would like to remind members of the
community, if you see any unlawful or
suspicious
activity, please call Police at 111 if it’s happening now,
or on
105 if it’s after the fact. You can also make a
105 report online at
105.police.govt.nz.