Police presence is expected to ramp up at Auckland's main Covid quarantine facility after reports of rooms being trashed and issues with gang members staying there.
It is understood up to five rooms at the Jet Park quarantine facility, in Māngere, have been trashed by people with gang affiliations.
Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare confirmed this morning that there had been problems at Jet Park involving gangs.
He told Three's AM Show that police were now investigating allegations that rooms at the facility had been trashed.
"I can confirm there has been a challenge there and troubles there. There has been a bit of vandalism, the extent of that I'm not completely sure.
"This is obviously a disruption in our quarantine facility space and I know that the police have been engaged so that we can continue to keep the community safe while also stopping this kind of behaviour.
"It's just not acceptable."
Although he was unsure of the number of people involved he said he was keen at the very least to see them pay for the cost of the vandalism.
The news comes after confirmation from Government and health officials that the current outbreak now includes a number of people connected to gangs.
Brigadier Rose King, co-head of Managed Isolation and Quarantine, confirmed staff had reported several rooms at Jet Park had been badly damaged recently.
"Any poor behaviours by people in our facilities is taken very seriously," she told Stuff.
"Staff are encouraged to raise any concerns directly with us."
Others must be deterred from using physical attacks as a form of protest, the judge said.