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Armed police raided gang houses in Dunedin yesterday as part of investigations into a bank robbery and inner city violence.
Four patched gang members and an associate were arrested in the dawn swoops by armed offenders squad members on the Mongrel Mob headquarters in suburban Caversham, and three other houses with gang connections.
The raids followed a month long investigation into an aggravated robbery at the Octagon National Bank in September, and recent inner-city violence connected to gang members, police said.
Detective Senior Sergeant Steve McGregor said while noone had been charged with the bank robbery, police were "very happy" with the outcome.
Two patched gang members and an associate were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, a sawn-off shotgun.
A fourth man was charged with obstructing police, while a fifth man faces a charge of possessing cannabis for supply.
Four of those arrested were bailed by police to appear in Dunedin District Court on November 30 while a fifth appeared in Dunedin District Court and was remanded in custody to November 30.
- NZPA