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Forty-four people have now been arrested after a six-month covert operation by police investigating gang-related drug offences.
Police today executed search warrants in Auckland City and the North Shore and arrested five men aged between 19 and 44 linked to the Killer Beez and Tribesmen gangs.
The Armed Offenders Squad seized various amounts of methamphetamine, cannabis and cash during today's raids.
Four of those arrested face drug charges and one man, aged 19, was charged with possession of a firearm. They are due to appear in Manukau District Court tomorrow.
Gang supporters were ordered from court yesterday during the appearances of 19 people linked to the gangs who were facing major drugs charges.
The 19 appeared before Judge David Harvey in the Manukau District Court on several charges including possession of P, supplying P and money laundering.
They were arrested on Monday as part of Operation Leo, in which police seized about $500,000 of P and cannabis, $200,000 in cash and a large amount of stolen property.
Ten more people were arrested yesterday when armed police raided another seven properties in South Auckland.
Judge Harvey warned the packed courtroom to stay quiet and not to communicate with the defendants.
When some supporters gestured to a man in the dock they were told to leave.
When one man left he shouted an obscenity and a gang slogan, with both arms raised above his head.
Many of the defendants waved to supporters in the back of the court. Some supporters called for them to be strong when they were led back to the cells.
The most high-profile person to appear in court yesterday was the Killer Beez leader, 30-year-old kickboxer Joshua Masters, who faces two charges of supplying P.
Masters has previously publicly denied the Killer Beez were involved in drugs.
He was the only person who appeared yesterday who was flanked by two police officers. He stared silently at supporters at the back of the court.
Two women on minor charges were released on bail, but 17 others were remanded in custody without plea to appear again on June 11 for a pre-depositions hearing.
Dozens of gang members stood outside the court throughout yesterday, some in gang regalia.
The 10 people arrested yesterday are expected to appear in the Manukau District Court today facing a range of charges including manufacturing and supplying methamphetamine.
Eighty police officers were assisted by the Armed Offenders Squad during yesterday's raids that allegedly uncovered several thousand dollars of methamphetamine and hundreds of dollars in cash.
Inquiry head Detective Inspector John Tims said he was proud of the results his team has achieved, and was confident it had made a significant impact on the sale and distribution of methamphetamine in and around Auckland.
