A simmering turf war between the King Cobras and the Rebels has exploded in recent weeks with a spate of shootings and arsons. In his first interview about the conflict, detective inspector Chris Barry reveals how police are trying to bring an end to the war for Māngere.
The fundamental problem with the looming gang war is that no one is attempting to understand what is happening.
The NZ domestic gang scene has been swamped by 501 syndicates who are far more violent than the NZ underworld.
They are standing over local gangs and taking their turf.
Take the Rebels vs KCs. This is a war over who gets to control the Auckland airport.
The KCs have long had the South Auckland contacts to steal and take what they like through customs in the airport.
It’s a lucrative scam that keeps the King Cobras in the alpha position of Auckland gangs alongside the Head Hunters and Hells Angels (those two gangs have control over the Sea Ports).
The Rebels are a 501 syndicate and they want control over the Airport because the South American cartels are shipping high quality meth through Auckland Airport and can’t control product because the King Cobras won’t play with them because no one can buy a KC.
If the Rebels control KC airport privileges they will also act as the delivery mechanism for that meth as well, so the 501s gain the airport as an entry point alongside the delivery process throughout the country.
This would be a VERY bad outcome and directly strengthen cartel power in NZ.
Judith’s position is to lock them all up.
Good luck with that.
Arresting everyone would give the Rebels an advantage and that would be disastrous.
The gang world is like Game of Thrones but with less incest and more violence. If you don’t understand why these things are happening then you will inadvertently make it worse.
Let’s be clear, the last thing we need are South American drug cartels expanding their interests in NZ, everything must be considered in stopping that from happening.
This is too important for counterproductive get tough on crime rhetoric – we need to get smart on crime instead.
