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WELLINGTON - A specialist gang intelligence unit has been set up in Queenstown to deal with the growing threat of organised crime in the region.
The threat of gang-related activity had increased as the population across the region exploded in recent years, the Otago Daily Times reported.
Police had responded by establishing a covert CIB gang intelligence unit, which had been operating since January.
Otago South CIB head Detective Senior Sergeant Colin Blackie, of Alexandra, said the unit was responsible for collating information about gang activities across the region.
He confirmed it was following a 'line of inquiry' linking gang involvement to last Friday's Cromwell bank robbery.
About 'four or five' organised crime investigations had taken place in Queenstown since the unit began operations at the start of the year, but 'unfortunately' these had not resulted in any charges being laid, the Queenstown-based Otago rural gang intelligence officer (GIO) said.
His identity remains confidential to protect him from becoming a gang target.
"Gangs are like a cancer. Any sign of them you want to cut it out immediately,' he said.
Areas of rapid population growth, such as tourist towns like Queenstown, Wanaka, and to a lesser extent the rest of Central Otago, provided good opportunities for gangs to increase their capacity for organised crime.
"We're talking about gang tentacles trying to establish themselves here," the GIO said.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes said "gangs by their very existence bring illegal and unwanted activities into the community, such as drug manufacture, sale of drugs, prostitution and intimidation tactics".
- NZPA
