Sensible Sentencing applauds police for gang drug arrests

27th March 2018

Former Maori Party Co-leader Tariana Turia often defended gangs as “just another form of whanau”. Sensible Sentencing Trust has always known the reality – they are all criminal organizations, some masquerading as motorcycle “clubs”, others unashamedly just groups of violent thugs.

“Today the public were reminded of the true nature of gangs when police raided a number of addresses in the Bay of Plenty and arrested twenty five people for possession and supply of methamphetamine, a truly evil drug which police say is often implicated in extremely violent crimes. While those arrested today are entitled to the presumption of innocence until trial, this is far from the first time the Mongrel Mob gang has revealed its true colours” said Sensible Sentencing gang spokesman David Garrett.

“A few months ago gang members were arrested after shots were fired in the small Bay of Plenty town of Whakatane. The reason? Apparently one horde of scum crossed over the ‘territory’ of the other during a mob funeral, and the public paid the price by being terrified by gunfire in the streets” Garrett said.

“In the Auckland area there are regular reports of arrests of members of the Headhunters gang, one of the groups claiming to be motorcycle clubs, for methamphetamine possession for supply. Sensible Sentencing agrees with the police: the supposed ‘motorcycle clubs’ are just as much criminal gangs as their thicker brothers in the Mongrel Mob. All are primarily criminal organizations which reject and mock the standards ordinary people respect and try and live their lives by” said Garrett.

“While we applaud the police for carrying out these raids today, it will be interesting to see what the courts make of the defendants if they are found guilty. In our view, methamphetamine is such a dreadful drug that penalties at the high end of the scale for any involvement with it should be the norm and not the exception”

“Parliament has given the Judges the tools: meth is a class A drug which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for its manufacture or supply. While heavy sentences are often handed down for Class A offending, SST believes finite sentences in the 30-year range ought to be the norm, if Judges are not willing to send offenders to prison for life.”

“More generally, we believe the police should constantly harass gangs and their members using the many legal tools that they have at their disposal. To be a gang member is seen by many at the bottom of society to be a glamorous occupation. If members were routinely arrested whenever and wherever they transgressed, and if they were sent to jail for 30 years for Class A drug offending, perhaps some of that glamour would wear off” said Garrett.

“Gangs are a cancer and a scourge on our society, but they can be tackled and brought to heel by vigorous policing and routinely heavy sentences handed down by the judiciary. The police have done their bit today; it is now up to the courts to do theirs” ENDS

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/organised-crime-operation-targeting-mongrel-mob-in-bay-plenty-leads-25-arrests

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