Bike gang busted | Northland News | Local News in Northland

They are members of an organised criminal enterprise with no respect for their communities.Detective Insp Karyn MalthusSix members of the Rebels gang were arrested in Northland during early-morning police raids targeting drugs and firearms.

Police yesterday confirmed the members had previously been affiliated with the local Tribesmen gang but had recently switched allegiance to the Rebels, Australia's largest outlaw motorcycle gang.

A Black Power member was also arrested in the raids.

Earlier this month, police revealed the Rebels MC gang was already taking over the Tribesmen in a rebranding process known as "patching over" and said they were determined to stop the gang establishing itself in New Zealand.

Yesterday's arrests were part of a major police operation across five districts in the North Island where 29 vehicles, including BMWs, Mercedes and Harley Davidson motorcycles, more than $120,000 in cash, firearms, cannabis and methamphetamine, were seized.

Similar raids were conducted in Palmerston North, Waikato, Auckland and Bay of Plenty.

The operation exposed what police believe to be a large-scale methamphetamine network and an apparent increased presence of the Australian Rebels gang in New Zealand. More than 20 officers swooped on five Whangarei homes in Otangarei, Onerahi and Morningside and two homes in central Kawakawa.

Detective Inspector Karyn Malthus said the seven men arrested in Northland were facing charges of possessing cannabis for supply, possessing methamphetamine and possessing a precursor chemical for the manufacture of methamphetamine.

"They are members of an organised criminal enterprise engaged in drug dealing, criminal activities, including violence, theft, and they have no respect for their communities and the consequences of their offending on their communities."

One woman was summonsed for possession of cannabis during the raid.

Ms Malthus said the most significant aspect of the raids was the recovery of three firearms - two sawn-off shotguns and one sawn-off rifle.

A stolen car was also found.

She said two gang members had a warrant out for their arrest.

Most of the seven men were being held in custody and likely to appear in the Whangarei District Court today.

Patched members of the Australian Rebel Gang were spotted in Waitangi last week, fuelling concerns they were recruiting young Maori protesters.

It came a week after police said the gang - which is associated with drug dealing and violent crime across the Tasman - was trying to establish a branch in New Zealand.

Labour list MP Shane Jones called on Ngapuhi elders to confront the gang members who he said were as unwelcome as the sewage spill at Waitangi.

"It's a force of new intimidation and a shame that the white power movement should seek to associate themselves with the rangatahi empowerment movement, which has a legitimate place in our nation."

Police Minister Judith Collins said the actions of police would have a significant impact on the supply of methamphetamine.

Police had already dealt with more than a dozen patched Rebel members near Auckland Airport last month.