The firearms and ammunition found inside a $5.9 million waterfront mansion where members of the Mongols motorcycle gang were living. Photo / Supplied
The firearms and ammunition found inside a $5.9 million waterfront mansion where members of the Mongols motorcycle gang were living. Photo / Supplied
Military-style rifles and shotguns have been found in a $5.9 million Auckland mansion during a police raid targeting the Mongols motorcycle club.
The discovery started when police officers in Operation Cobalt, the nationwide crackdown on gangs, searched a car parked on Shore Rd in the blue-chip suburb of Remuera lastThursday.
They found a semi-automatic AK-47 rifle with two large magazines holding 40 rounds of ammunition - taped together for fast reloading - hidden under a blanket in the front passenger seat.
The 21-year-old occupant of the vehicle, who is a patched member of the Mongols, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a restricted weapon and ammunition in a public place.
Court documents show the gang member was living at a waterfront property on Shore Rd overlooking Hobson Bay, which has a council valuation of $5.9 million.
The discovery of a high-powered firearm near a gang member waiting in a car parked outside suggests the 21-year-old may have been on "guard duty" against potential threats from rival gangs.
The Mongols, who established chapters in New Zealand in recent years after senior members were deported from Australia, have been involved in a number of alleged shooting incidents with other gangs.
Following the search of the vehicle, Operation Cobalt raided the Shore Rd property and found an AR-15 firearm, a rifle, and a shotgun, along with various quantities of ammunition.
A 31-year-old associate of the Mongols has been charged with possession of a prohibited firearm, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a restricted magazine.
The AK-47 style semi-automatic rifle and two magazines taped together which police allegedly found in a car with a patched member of the Mongols gang. Photo / Supplied
The firearms and ammunition found inside a $5.9 million waterfront mansion where members of the Mongols motorcycle gang were living. Photo / Supplied
"This is a fantastic result for police and the community we are trying to keep safe through our ongoing disruption being directed at the Mongols," detective inspector Aaron Proctor said in a statement.
"The public can expect police will continue to hold gangs to account for offending we are identifying through our disruption and suppression activity under Operation Cobalt."
Of note, Proctor said paraphernalia from a number of different gangs was found at the Shore Rd address including patches from the Mongols, Comancheros and Bandidos.
Covert police investigations have established close friendships between members of the Comancheros and the Mongols in New Zealand, as many grew up together in Australia before being deported back.
The presence of patches from the Bandidos motorcycle gang has a different explanation, as the New Zealand chapter of the Mongols was established by a group that left the Bandidos after falling out with the leadership.
The Mongols are alleged to be involved in a number of shootings with rival gangs in recent years, especially the Head Hunters in Auckland and other Australian gangs, that have upset the pecking order in New Zealand.
The increase in firearms violence between different gangs - and the subsequent political pressure on the Government - led the police to launch a dedicated operation to target gangs, called Operation Cobalt.
