OFF THE WIRE
Tauranga’s Filthy Few motorcycle gxxg is preparing to defend charges it set up an illegal bar at its Judea headquarters ahead of its annual Metal Mania event earlier this year.
The charges follow a police raid of the gxxg’s Birch Avenue premises on February 17 where police seized large quantities of alcohol as members prepared to host the Metal Mania event at BayPark.The club is accused of operating an unlicensed premises and allowing those premises to be used for the consumption of liquor.
The club earlier admitted the charge of using an unlicensed premise as a place of resort for the consumption of alcohol and in was ordered to forfeit an estimated $3000 worth of alcohol in Tauranga District Court on Tuesday.
Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair says police believed the alcohol was to be illegally sold and so they seized it by executing a search warrant.
Police arrested one man for obstruction during the raid.
In April 2010, police raided the pad and seized $19,000 worth of alcohol, which was being sold illegally at the club between 2008 and 2009.
Two club members pleaded guilty to charges of unauthorised sale of alcohol and were fined $2000.
The club will defend the charges of it running an illegal bar in the Tauranga District Court at a status hearing on August 22.
http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/29365-filthy-few-to-defend-bar-charge.html