Whangarei NZ First candidate Shane Jones claims Head Hunters are stealing crayfish and swapping it for P.
Whangarei NZ First candidate Shane Jones claims Head Hunters are stealing crayfish and swapping it for P.
A Northland-based Head Hunter denies the gang is plundering crayfish and swapping it for P.
New Zealand First Whangarei candidate Shane Jones said the seafood delicacy was being traded with gangs in Auckland in exchange for P.
Mr Jones accused the Head Hunters gang of "plundering" Whangarei's crayfish industry, stealing the legitimate catches of quota holders to purchase methamphetamine ingredients.
Herbert Rata, of the Head Hunters gang in Whangarei and one of the organisers behind last month's gang mixed martial arts tournament, queried where Mr Jones was getting his facts.
"I want to know where he is getting his information from," Mr Rata said yesterday.
"I don't even really know the guy except he got caught using his government credit card to watch porn."
At the martial arts tournament held at Portland there were generous servings of crayfish and oysters on offer at the tables throughout the nearly 20 fights on the card.
More than 300 rival gang members and supporters came together under one roof to sort out their issues in the ring after a string of gang-related deaths in Northland over the past 12 months.
Crayfish was on the menu at a gang gathering of about 300 at Portland last month for a mixed martial arts tournament. Photo/File
Mr Rata said he had personally obtained a permit to catch the crayfish served up on the day.
"It was all legal and above board," he said.
When questioned about the New Zealand First claims about trading crayfish for drugs in Auckland Mr Rata said he "wouldn't have a clue" and would not comment further.
Mr Jones, who spoke out after a Newshub investigation aired on television this week, labelled the gang an organised ring of heavy "narco" criminals.
"Their width and spread is chilling.
"They are now systematically stealing lucrative lobster from the local industry, a particularly galling development, because lobsters that have been legitimately caught and then stolen come off the harvester's quota.
"This pillaged product is being used by the gangs as currency for their P trade, playing swapsies with Auckland villains who have the ingredients for meth manufacturing."
Mr Jones said it was tragic for the Whangarei fishing industry and added Ministry for Primary Industries officials seemed powerless to stamp it out.
During the Newshub investigation skipper Adam Kellian said his crayfish holding pots off the Northland coast were often slashed open by thieves.
Throughout a season the thefts could add up to hundreds of kilograms which equated to a $10,000 loss.
