Nearly every member of the Comanchero motorcycle gang in New Zealand is facing criminal charges after a three-year police investigation.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said a total of 137 charges have been laid against the gang's members and associates.
These included 17 "office" holders, 10 patched members and 14 gang prospects.
Since 2021, police had seized 206 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.76 kilograms of cocaine and 2.6 kilograms of cannabis.
Police also recovered $1.275 million in cash, $9.2 million in assets, restrained five properties and 14 vehicles, including motorbikes.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the disruption and dismantling of the gang would make a big dent in the Comanchero's ability to conduct significant serious criminal offending moving forward.
"From the very beginning, there has been a multi-agency effort to continuously target, disrupt and enforce criminal activity that has been taking place," he said.
"This has resulted in significant criminal prosecution cases as well as assets and profits being stripped away from their grasp."
Police worked alongside Customs, Corrections and Inland Revenue as part of the investigations.
The Comancheros gang insignia was taken down from its Christchurch headquarters in Woolston a week after the city's entire chapter was arrested.
It was the culmination of an eight-month investigation, called Operation Avon, that targeted regular cash and drug runs between Auckland and Christchurch.
Police said the Comancheros were responsible for the majority of Class A drugs coming into Canterbury, as well as money laundering and a 'commission' scheme to fund military-style training.
The charges were the result of four phases of the investigation.
The Comancheros gang headquarters in Christchurch. Photo: Anna Sargent
In July 2021, the National Organised Crime Group commenced phase one, dubbed Operation Scuba, which primarily investigated money laundering.
"The operation terminated in March this year, resulting in 11 people being charged," Coster said.
In total, $5.8 million worth of assets were restrained, including two properties- one of them being the gang's 'Southside' pad in Weymouth, police said.
The second phase, Operation Brewer, was a joint operation between police and Customs that resulted in 200 kilograms of methamphetamine being found hidden in farm machinery.
Operation Avon, the third phase, targeted regular cash and drug runs between Auckland and Christchurch.
In the investiagtion's most recent phase, Operation Embargo, investigators sought evidence about a directive allegedly sent out to Comanchero members three years ago ordering members to follow rules being set up around the 'commission'.
"This commission processes allegedly raised funds to purchase a gang pad, two businesses as well as purchasing of firearms," Coster said.
"Police will also allege that these funds were being used to carry out military-styled training of 15 of its members by a trainer brought into the country for this purpose."
Total results since 2021:
- 206kg of methamphetamine seized
- 1.76kg of cocaine ($657,500 in social harm)
- 2.6kg of cannabis
- 15 firearms
- 1184 rounds of ammunition
- five properties
- 14 vehicles, including motorbikes.
- 41 Comanchero patches
- $9.2 million in assets restrained and $1.275 million in cash
- more than 250 electronic devices seized
Police said the military-style training took place in Auckland and Northland, but that they could not go into more detail because the matter was before the court.
Speaking at the police stand-up, Detective Superintendent Greg Williams said the Comancheros were seen across Australasia as the most dangerous gang, partly because of their propensity for violence.
"[There is a] case before the court right now where we will allege the Comancheros attempted to kill a member of a Comanchero [gang] that tried to leave the Comancheros."
"So it gives you an idea of the level of violence they're prepared to operate in."
Williams said this was also shown by the gang's commandments, which police recovered.
"They say that 'once a Comanchero always a Comanchero' and that if you leave the gang then you will be put in a body bag, unless you find God, but if you're caught operating in the underworld they'll put you to sleep."
Williams said police believed there were about 92 Comanchero members in the country right now.
He said from that group, police believed only 11 were not actively facing some form of criminal charge.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said the Comancheros had used their shiny brand to recruit members, while inflicting misery on people through selling drugs and using violence to intimidate.
He said there was a difference in the way gangs were being policed.
"We want to give them more powers and more tools because we just want to continue to ratchet this up, this is really just the start.
"We're a small island nation, these gang members and organised crime groups are responsible for way too much of the violent crime and organised crime that we see in our country."
