Thieves get their hands dirty on building sites, what the Government’s latest Kiwibuild changes could mean for you, and a female officer knocked out in a vicious attack in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
When Jesse Vella stood to farewell his father, he must have appeared the picture of loyalty.
Speaking to other mourners at Gino Vella's January funeral, he proudly wore the Rebels patch - the mark of a gang that his father "paved the way" for - and declared "Rebels Forever, Forever Rebels."
But months later those colours had run and Jesse Vella had joined the Rebels' rivals the Comancheros.
The Australian underworld was left shocked by the high-profile switch, which one source told News.com.au shows that the Comacheros do "what they want, when they want".
Jesse Vella, nephew of former Rebels President Alex Vella and cousin of current President Damien Vella, touched upon the club in the poem he read at the service.
"We still had many more memories to make, we still had so much more to do.
"Everything that I am today, I owe it all to you.
"From the way that I talk from the way that I move.
"I'm so honoured to be your son, you taught me how to be a man, you're a legend to this club.
"To me, you come second to none.'
"I can't wait to see you again dad. I'll just have to wait for my time to come.
"I know you're up there in the forever chapter, sinking them down at the bar, flying that flag with 13 stars.
"Till we meet again dad, RFFR."
For Vella, forever lasted until last week, when he posed in Comancheros colours with their new President Alex Meehan.
Alex Meehan (left) showed off his new member Jesse Vella on Instagram. Photo / Instagram
"Welcome to A-grade. This (is) that new s***," Meehan wrote in the Instagram post announcing the switch which saw the pair posed in with a motorcycle and the Comanchero insignia.
The poaching is seen as a power move by Meehan, who only recently took over as President after former boss Mick Murray was arrested in April over a 2019 murder.
Comanchero in New Zealand
The Comancheros gang was founded in Sydney in the 1960s and has been growing in size and influence in New Zealand in recent years.
Members made a splash in 2018 with social media posts of black and gold-clad members gathered around gold-plated motorcycles.
"All done and sworn in ... welcome aboard to my brothers in New Zealand," an Australian member of the Comancheros posted on Instagram.
"Another Comanchero chapter opened up. We growing stronger and stronger."
Police feared the gang's connections to international organised crime groups and sophisticated tradecraft would give it outsized influence in New Zealand's criminal underworld.
Comancheros New Zealand chapter president Pasilika Naufahu photographed during his sentencing in Auckland High Court last year on drug and money laundering charges. Photo / Jason Oxenham
In response, police launched Operation Nova, eventually terminated in April 2019 when most of the Comancheros' hierarchy were arrested and charged with money laundering and participating in an organised criminal group.
More than $4 million worth of assets were seized.
Gang president Pasilika Naufahu was among those put behind bars, sentenced to 10 years' jail after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply the Class B drug pseudoephedrine.
He had also earlier pleaded guilty to participating in an organised criminal group and money laundering in relation to a $1.3 million home and expensive cars.
