A social media post showing King Cobra gang members outside the Auckland High Court – in breach of the Gangs Act 2024 – has resulted in action that will see them dealt with inside a courtroom.
Early this morning, half a dozen warrants were executed across Auckland and Waikato.
Police have been investigating an early breach of prohibition of gang insignia, with a photo posted online outside the court on 21 November.
Six men, aged between 28 and 58, have been charged with the prohibited display of a gang patch.
In the process, search warrants have also unearthed drugs, firearms and other items of interest to Police.
Two firearms have been seized, along with a quantity of substance believed to be methamphetamine.
Police have seized six King Cobra patches.
Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, from Auckland City CIB, says one warrant at an Auckland address led to further discoveries.
“Police located a person of interest in the investigation, arresting him and seizing his patch,” he says.
“During a search warrant conducted at that address we recovered two firearms along with ammunition, and that man has been charged accordingly.”
But that wasn’t the end of it.
“Another man was at this property, who was allegedly in possession of a quantity of substance believed to be methamphetamine,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.
“We will also allege this man was present in the photo posted in social media and he has had his patch seized.”
Four men – aged 28, 34, 38 and 58 – have been bailed to appear on their charges at the Auckland District Court on 24 December.
A 44-year-old Hamilton man is also scheduled to appear in the Hamilton District Court on that date.
Enquiries are ongoing to locate another Auckland man, after his patch was seized in this morning’s search warrants.
Detective Inspector Baldwin says the 31-year-old man arrested on possession for supply of methamphetamine is expected to appear in the Auckland District Court today.
He says the investigation is by no means over.
“We have a designated team of highly motivated investigators and further arrests are anticipated,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.
“The public display of gang patches or insignia is now illegal under new legislation, and we continue to remind gang members around consequences of choosing to breach these rules.
“This is an example of Police continuing to follow up breaches, which has resulted in further and more serious charges, upon the discovery and seizure of firearms and illicit drugs.”
If the patches help the cops to identify these guys and confiscate drugs, guns etc, why ban the patches?
This becoming petty and underwhelming.
Circular reasoning perhaps, but the ‘patch ban’ enabled execution of search warrants; leading to discovery of other contraband.
So who are ‘monitoring social media content’ on behalf of police?
Perhaps it is the 200 odd ‘social listening’ personnel hired under Office of the Prime Minister in the Ardern govt.