Detective Inspector Marty James, District Manager Criminal Investigations:

Eastern District Police have today been issued a Gang Conflict Warrant, following several incidents stemming from ongoing tensions between Mongrel Mob and Black Power.

At around 10:45pm on Tuesday night, shots were fired at houses in Wairoa associated with both gangs, and a Napier house connected to one of the gangs was targeted this morning.

We’re also aware of a number of alleged gang-related incidents in Wairoa that have not been reported to us, including assaults, vehicle rammings, other damage to cars, and threatening behaviour.

A significant operation is under way across Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay in response to this senseless violence between the two gangs, and the Gang Conflict Warrant issued today gives us valuable additional powers to draw on.

The Gang Conflict Warrant is issued under the Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Act and gives us special powers to search vehicles of suspected gang members, and to seize firearms, weapons and vehicles.

The violence we are seeing from these two gangs – particularly those incidents where firearms are involved - is absolutely unacceptable in our communities.

The residents of our communities have the right to be able to go about their daily lives without fearing for their safety from gang-related violence. They’ve had enough and so have we.

As part of our investigation into the recent offending, officers in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will be stopping vehicles with links to gang members and searching gang-related addresses.

Officers will also be maintaining a highly visible presence in our communities to provide reassurance.

We are determined to hold those responsible for the recent offending to account and gang members should be on notice that we will not tolerate this ongoing violence.

Today we arrested two men in relation to the incident in Wairoa on Tuesday night. The two men – aged 18 and 35 - have been charged with aggravated burglary and possession of offensive weapons. Further arrests are likely in the coming days.

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