Serious questions need to be answered about why Police have raided a second drug rehabilitation centre hosting gang members on bail, National’s Police spokesperson Mark Mitchell says.

“In August, Police raided a drug rehabilitation centre run by the Ahikaa Trust where they found guns, ammunition, methamphetamine and bundles of cash. Today, Police also raided Nga Kete Wananga bail facility and found similar items.

“The fact that bail rehabilitation facilities are being used as gang pads where Police are recovering illegal firearms, drugs and cash is a serious failure of our justice system.

“The public deserves to know who is approving these facilities, who is running them, why Government Ministers have visited at least one facility where illegal items were found, and what actions were taken when the Government was made aware of this problem.

“The Government set a dangerous precedent when it gave $2.7 million to the Mongrel Mob from the proceeds of crime fund last year. It should be cracking down on these organisations – not offering them handouts.

“Labour’s soft-on-crime approach is clear to see when courts are sending gang members to what are effectively gang pads and exposing neighbouring communities to serious danger.

“Gangs peddle misery in our communities, and since this Government came to power, we’ve seen gang membership increase by more than 45 per cent.”

Unlike Labour, National is backing our frontline Police officers and would give them four new tools to make their jobs easier. National would:

• Ban gang patches, which have been the recent fuel for the worst gun violence seen in New Zealand.
• Give police non-association powers to prevent gang members communicating and planning criminal activity.
• Allow police to issue dispersal notices where gang members come together in public to intimidate, threaten and sometimes assault members of the public.
• Give police the warrantless search powers they need to take the guns out of the hands of violent armed gang members.

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