Not all Rebel members criminals - gang expert

A Rebels Motorcycle Club patch and jacket. Photo / NZ Police

While police are lauding their efforts to thwart the operations of the Australian Rebel Motorcycle Gang, an expert is cautioning not to slate all the gang's members as criminals.

The Australian Rebel Motorcycle Gang, which police say are trying to gain a foothold in New Zealand, were dealt a "severe blow" yesterday with 30 arrested and charged in a series of raids around the North Island. More arrests are likely.

Detective Superintendent Brett Kane of the Organised Financial Crime Agency said significant amounts of cash, drugs and assets were seized as part of the operation, which involved several police agencies with warrants executed in police districts across the North Island.

"This has disrupted the work of a serious organised criminal network which is peddling the misery of methamphetamine in our communities. It has also dealt a blow to a would-be New Zealand branch of the Australian Rebels Motorcycle Gang."

"We said we wouldn't be putting the welcome mat out for them and we will continue to thwart their efforts to set up here."

"New Zealand communities are seeing the benefits of enforcement agencies becoming more strategic and collaborating in the bid to disrupt and dismantle organised crime."

But Dr Arthur Veno, an expert on Australian biker gangs, said it would be misguided to assume all Rebels Motorcycle Gang members as criminals.

"You have to understand the rebels themselves are like a kingdom with a number of fiefdoms within it, and these all operate independently," he told Radio New Zealand.

"These autonomous units either move into crime as a chapter or not."

He suggested it was quite possible another chapter could open elsewhere in New Zealand and not be involved in criminal activity.

"It depends which chapter you go to. For example, in Victoria, of the 19 '1 per cent' clubs, only three are identified as being a significant crime risk.

"I'm not saying not to be concerned, if they're crook - get into them. But the mistake the Australians made and it has been a horrible blue ... to define these as organised crime falls in a heap and has [been] found unconstitutional and is unenforceable and doesn't actually hit the target.

"Going after the club, per se, is the wrong strategy and finally that has been recognised in many states here."

- Paul Harper