Jarome Fonua is wanted by police. He is a Comancheros gang member. Photo / Supplied
Jarome Fonua is wanted by police. He is a Comancheros gang member. Photo / Supplied
A man facing a raft of charges after a series of raids on the Comancheros gang during a major investigation into organised crime is being hunted by police in Auckland.
The raids saw some $4 million of assets seized by police, including firearms and several luxury vehicles such as a Rolls-Royce Wraith and gold-plated Harley Davidson motorcycles.
Fonua - along with Connor Clausen, 28, Tyson Daniels, 30, and Pasilika Naufahu, 31 - have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In April police arrested six people after executing a number of search warrants targeting members and associates of the Comancheros motorcycle gang. Photo / Supplied
Police announced on Facebook on Friday that a warrant had been issued for Fonua's arrest.
"Fonua is of very large build and can be identified by his facial tattoos, which include the word Comancheros under his right eye and a diamond with 1% under his left eye," they said on the post.
"He also has the word 'Parabellum' on the right side of his forehead."
The said Fonua had connections across Auckland.
"Anyone who sees him should contact 111 immediately," a police spokesperson said.
"Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact police on 09 259 0666 or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
One of the vehicles seized in the April Operation Nova raids. Photo / Supplied
During the Operation Nova raids, four Range Rovers worth $150,000 each were seized by authorities as well as the family home of the lawyer alleged to have laundered $2.4 million for the Comancheros motorcycle gang.
The lawyer, 40, has name suppression.
He is charged with money laundering.
A $10,000 gold chain and a $13,000 Louis Vuitton bag were also seized.
The Comancheros in New Zealand are nicknamed the "501s" because of the "character grounds" section of the immigration law used to deport many of them from Australia.
The Herald first revealed the gang's arrival in Aotearoa last year after a series of photographs were posted on social media.
The club was part of two of Australia's most infamous gang battles, the 1984 "Milperra Massacre" shooting with their rivals the Bandidos and a 2009 brawl at Sydney's international airport where a Hell's Angels member was beaten to death.
