The NZ Herald has previously reported that detectives from a specialist firearms investigation team allege the defendant was a ‘‘straw buyer’' - a licensed owner who purchased the weapons on behalf of criminal associates who cannot legally buy them.
The Alfa Carbine rifles are typically sought after by gangs because they can be easily cut down to pistols - which are prized in the criminal community because they are easier to conceal and wield.
The former rugby player is alleged to have purchased the rifles with more than $10,000 given to him by a member of the Comancheros outlaw motorcycle club.
Three months later, in October 2022, the defendant allegedly laid a complaint with police that the firearms had been stolen.
The retired player also made a successful insurance claim for $11,345.
The defendant became the target of Operation Rackley, an investigation by the National Organised Crime Group, and was charged with unlawful possession of firearms, insurance fraud, and making a false complaint to police.
The defendant was remanded on bail to next appear in the Tauranga District Court on September 28 for a pre-trial hearing.
No trial date has yet been scheduled.
In June, a patched Comanchero was also arrested and charged with unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
