A new government leadership board tasked with improving New Zealand’s response to transnational, serious and organised crime has held its inaugural meeting, Associate Police Minister Casey Costello has announced.
The Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime (TSOC) Chief Executive Board will oversee efforts to improve cooperation between government agencies, strengthen intelligence sharing and coordinate investigations into organised criminal activity.
Costello said the initiative follows recommendations from a Ministerial Advisory Group, which identified weaknesses in the way agencies work together to combat organised crime. The board will also oversee implementation of the Government’s TSOC Strategy and Action Plan.
The board will be jointly chaired by Customs Comptroller Christine Stevenson and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers. Its permanent membership includes Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet chief executive Ben King, Inland Revenue Commissioner Peter Mersi, Department of Internal Affairs chief executive Paul James, and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment chief executive Nic Blakeley.
Costello warned that international criminal organisations are increasingly targeting New Zealand through methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking, large-scale cannabis cultivation and sophisticated overseas scam operations.
She said these activities frequently involve money laundering and migrant exploitation, while contributing to violence, economic losses and drug-related harm in communities.
A major concern is the existing restrictions on information sharing between government agencies. Costello pointed out that Customs and Police are generally unable to exchange certain investigative information, including telephone numbers associated with gang members, despite both agencies working to disrupt organised criminal networks.
The new board will focus on addressing such barriers, improving investigative cooperation, identifying potential legislative reforms and ensuring government resources are directed towards the most effective responses.
Particular attention will be given to disrupting criminal financial networks and reducing the profitability of organised crime.
The board will also examine existing governance arrangements, identify opportunities to improve efficiency and strengthen the work of the Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) programme.
Additional government chief executives may participate in board discussions when specialist knowledge or leadership is required.
Costello said the overall objective is to replace fragmented agency responses with a more coordinated government-wide approach capable of tackling increasingly sophisticated criminal organisations.
Set a thief to catch a thief…..
Fantastic! Gangs are a plague on NZ. A friend of mine joined the police because he saw first hand the immense damage they do to his Maori community. We’ll end up like Mexico if these gangs continue to destroy their own people.
The one in Wellington in a hood called the Beehive is the worst….start with them…..
While on the surface it looks calm and collected I would hold reservations about the FBI takeover of NZ
And when is the billionaire businessman US Ambassador to NZ going to start explaining the moronic non nonsensical actions of his puppet president?
That is steering NZ albeit the world into a severe recession or worse still a depression
The biggest criminals sit in government buildings.
They should start with the NZ Police
They should start with the NZ Police
The last Labour government seemed to the biggest organised crime outfit ever in New Zealand. Will they investigate that?
Don’t hold your breath
You may contract COVID
A “leadership board” installed by committee.
Lots of board meeting fees to be had by all selectees.
Another layer of “government” on top of the layers already paid for by the tax-payers – all of which have only seen gangs blossom into multi-generational crime dynasties.
The answer is Digital Currency.