OFF THE WIRE
More than 50 members of an Australian motorcycle gang made their presence felt in Christchurch today, under the watchful eye of police.
The Rebels gang members visited five pubs across the city, followed by a police shadow patrol, and were stopped for breath testing just outside Belfast.
Police intelligence has revealed the gang is looking to set up a chapter in the South Island.
The Rebels have been established in the North Island for a year, and are the largest gang in australia with nearly four thousand members.
They were rumoured to be heading south this weekend in a bid to attract members.
A witness told Newstalk ZB that police pulled over about 40 Rebel motorcycles and a number of cars belonging to the gang at the Northern Motorway just out of Christchurch.
The source says there are at least eight police cars and a booze bus at the scene.
A police southern communications spokesman said checkpoints of that sort are not unusual and he would not confirm if it was a deliberate strategy to target the gang.
Police said in September that the Australian Rebel motorcycle club has been trying to gain a foothold in New Zealand. At the time they executed search warrants at addresses in New Plymouth, Otaki, Auckland and Northland, resulting in the arrest of 22 people.
Detective Inspector Chris Bensemann said the focus was "the continuation of our national focus on the Rebels gang and their continuing or ongoing recruitment of gang members".
Earlier this year police seized cars and cash in similar raids across the North Island.
Police Minister Judith Collins said after the September arrests that she believed that the message would start to sink in.
"Sooner or later they'll realise that New Zealand is a very bad place to set themselves up," Collins said.
"Earlier this year they were sent a very strong message that New Zealand doesn't want overseas outlaw gangs coming here and that our police and law enforcement agencies will do everything they can to make them feel as unwelcome as possible."
The Rebels are Australia's biggest motorbike gang with nearly 4000 members and in February this year they told ONE News they were just a social group, riding motorbikes.
But Bensemann said the evidence clearly contradicts their statement.
(VIDEO AVAILABLE AT )
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/police-shadow-aussie-bike-gang-members-4550365
Detective Inspector Chris Bensemann said the focus was "the continuation of our national focus on the Rebels gang and their continuing or ongoing recruitment of gang members".
Earlier this year police seized cars and cash in similar raids across the North Island.
Police Minister Judith Collins said after the September arrests that she believed that the message would start to sink in.
"Sooner or later they'll realise that New Zealand is a very bad place to set themselves up," Collins said.
"Earlier this year they were sent a very strong message that New Zealand doesn't want overseas outlaw gangs coming here and that our police and law enforcement agencies will do everything they can to make them feel as unwelcome as possible."
The Rebels are Australia's biggest motorbike gang with nearly 4000 members and in February this year they told ONE News they were just a social group, riding motorbikes.
But Bensemann said the evidence clearly contradicts their statement.
(VIDEO AVAILABLE AT )
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/police-shadow-aussie-bike-gang-members-4550365
