Aussies look at NZ gangs

Queensland police say organised criminal gangs in New Zealand have prompted them to gather intelligence into whether street gangs in the state are developing into more sophisticated, violent operations.

Deputy Commissioner Ian Stewart and Police Minister Neil Roberts yesterday announced that five regions in southeast Queensland would start a 12-month intelligence gathering project on street gangs.

There was no evidence of sophisticated gangs in Queensland, as seen with gangs in New Zealand, and the Bloods and Crips in the United States, Mr Stewart said.

But New Zealand's recent outbreak in organised criminal gangs stemming from street gangs was a major instigator in this project, he said. "We have learned ... and we have had New Zealand police come over and support us in developing this project, that there are always signs [of gangs becoming sophisticated].

"We want to make sure we don't see the transition that New Zealand saw from what they thought was just street violence against groups of people to major gang and sophisticated gang involvement in crime, territorial drug dealing, in bashings and extortions."

He said Queensland had street gangs of loosely associated young people, while in New Zealand it was observed that organised street gangs usually involved an older leader in their 20s or 30s and members ranging from 15 to 25 years old.

- AAP