Comancheros gather in Christchurch for national event, police say they are monitoring their presence

Members of the Comancheros motorcycle gang are gathering for an event being held in Christchurch.

Police have confirmed they are monitoring the situation today.

“Police are aware of the movements and will have a presence around the area. No incidents have been reported,” a statement said.

The exact nature of the event is not known. However, it is understood members of the outlaw bikie gang are gathering in and around the Christchurch headquarters pad based in the eastern suburb of Woolston.

The fortified headquarters, located in an industrial cul-de-sac, is the former headquarters for the Rebels MC gang.

The takeover happened in June last year when the entire Christchurch-based chapter of the Rebels MC patched over to the notorious Comancheros.

Today’s event comes weeks after senior members and associates of the Comancheros were arrested after a long-running investigation into alleged money laundering and drug importations.

A high-ranking Comanchero member appeared in the Auckland District Court charged with laundering $590,958, supplying methamphetamine and conspiring with another person to import meth.

The accused was also charged with participating in an organised criminal group with eight other patched members and associates of the gang over a two-year period.

Police confirmed the arrests at the time but would not discuss the situation any further, saying the wider matter remained under investigation.

The Comanchero gang in New Zealand was born out of Australia’s controversial so-called “501s” deportation policy; nicknamed after the section of immigration law used to remove people on “good character” grounds.

This has led to a radical shift within the criminal underworld, with far larger importations of methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as violent conflict between gangs such as tit-for-tat shootings and arson.

After being slow to react, the previous Labour government passed legislation to give police new powers during gang conflict and target unexplained wealth of gang leaders.

The coalition Government has promised to crack down even harder with anti-gang laws, such as patch bans.