A 10-month police investigation into the eastern Bay of Planty Mongrel Mob managed to stop a drive-by shooting at a marae among other instances of serious violence before it culminated today in mass arrests and seizures.
In that case, police deployed to Opotiki, after receiving information about a planned drive-by shooting at a local marae.
Quick action meant they located and seized three firearms, including a high-powered rifle, shotguns and ammunition, preventing what could have been a serious incident.
Today police executed over 30 search warrants across the North Island as part of Operation Highwater, a concentrated operation targeting members and associates of the Mongrel Mob Barbarian MC East Bay chapter based in Opotiki.
Bay of Plenty District Commander Superintendent Tim Anderson says today is a good day for Opotiki.
“The termination of this operation is a clear message to gang members selling illegal drugs across the Bay of Plenty that we will find you and you will be held accountable for your destructive behaviour.”
Police say gang members commit a disproportionate amount of crime and harm in New Zealand, and particularly in the areas of serious assault, robberies, drug and firearms offences, and homicides.
Anderson says police will continue to “relentlessly pursue criminals who prey on our communities and cause a huge amount of harm and misery in their own communities with their drug dealing and violent behaviour”.
“From my travels around the Bay of Plenty, the feedback from different iwi leaders and the wider community is that they’ve had enough of this type of criminal offending.”
The NZ Police National Organised Crime Group started Operation Highwater in December 2023 following an increase in violent crime and other offending in Opotiki, in Eastern Bay of Plenty.
Today’s search warrants spanned eastern Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Auckland, Rotorua, Taupo, Wellington, and Hawke’s Bay, targeting identified people believed to be involved in a North Island-wide drug distribution network, including methamphetamine and cannabis.
Police arrested 28 people, seized illegal drugs and firearms and restrained assets.
Police made 18 arrests in the Bay of Plenty police district, three in Auckland, three in Waikato, two in Wellington and two in Eastern
Assets they restrained- to the value of $800,000 - included: a resdential property, four cars, a jetski, two trailbikes, a Harley Davidson motorcycle, approximately $86,000 in a bank account, approximately $20,000 of jewellery, $65,500 cash
Police seized:
- six firearms including five rifles and a 3D-printed pistol;
- quantities of illegal drugs including 12 lbs of cannabis and smaller quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine; and
- 13 Mongrel Mob Barbarian patches.
The investigation team is now in the process of filing charges and confirming court dates.
Today’s actions follow the execution of warrants in the Coromandel area over several days in August, after the Operation Highwater investigation team identified a flow of methamphetamine into the area.
Police completed 12 search warrants in Whitianga and Coromandel, resulting in six arrests and the seizure of methamphetamine, cannabis and a firearm.
‘All-of-police’ approach
Police say this is an example of the “all-of-police” approach, which has seen several workgroups across police working together toward a shared goal.
The operation has been led by the National Organised Crime Group, supported by specialist groups and district staff.
Staff from the Police partnership and harm team will support the community wrap-around process during and after today’s termination.
Superintendent Anderson says he wants to thank the community members who have reported this type of offending and I encourage them to keep reporting these drug dealers to us via 105 and Crimestoppers reporting lines.
“I’d also like to acknowledge and thank our organised crime detectives for their tireless work and dedication, as well as all our policing teams across the Bay of Plenty who are making arrests every day to make us all much safer.
“Yesterday we stood up our district Gang Disruption Unit and this new team is also in the Eastern Bay of Plenty targeting gang members as we speak.
‘Strong focus on gangs’
They, and all our staff across the Bay, will continue to work hard every day to make our communities safer.
“I’m proud of the work our officers carry out every day, and results such as we’ve seen today are testament to their hard work.”
We continue to have a strong focus on disrupting unlawful activity by gang members and their associates, and holding offenders to account for crimes committed.”
Police urge anyone who has concerns about criminal offending by gangs in their community to contact Police so it can be investigated.
They can call 111 if there is an incident happening now or make a report via 105 online if it is not an emergency situation.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.