With gang members expected to descend on Nelson from across the country this weekend, police had earlier called in extra officersfrom around the South Island to help.
However, police said they had so far encountered no major issues during Operation Silkie.
One person was arrested at a checkpoint in Pelorus for driving while suspended and another was detained on Thursday for wearing gang insignia, police said.
They said it has been “pleasing to see few gang insignia” and encouraged gang members to comply with the new law banning patches in public for the rest of the Nelson event.
Officers responded by setting up checkpoints and monitoring vehicles coming off the ferry.
Tasman District police earlier got in touch with the event organisers to set clear expectations about attendees’ behaviour, police said.
“Part of these discussions has included how attendees will comply with the Gangs Act,” a police statement said.
Police have been criticised for their “totally unacceptable” presence at a Mongrel Mob tangi this week in the Bay of Plenty.
However, earlier this week some people criticised the police for a “totally unacceptable” presence at a Mongrel Mob tangi in Tauranga.
Local kuia Ngareta Timutimu (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui) left her house to find 40 or 50 officers assembled outside Otūmoko Urupā on Matapihi Rd.
“My cemetery, which is not far from my house, it was just covered with police cars, policemen, and I was absolutely shocked. I’d never seen so many police cars and policemen in the same place before, so I was shocked and basically angry and hurt. Ka tangi ahau [I cried].
“What hit me first was that they were right outside of the urupā where my tūpuna lie and where I and my whānau buried my first cousin on Saturday,” she said.
