Arrest warrant issued: Shot Killer Beez boss Josh Masters fails to show at court

Joshua James Masters, Killer Beez gang president, failed to appear in court today. Photo / NZ Herald

An arrest warrant has been issued for high-profile Killer Beez gang president Josh Masters after he failed to appear in court today.

Masters was released from prison in July last year after serving nearly all of a 10-year, five month sentence for supplying methamphetamine and laundering the profits through his rap label.

Now 40, Masters was jailed in May 2008 but was freed by the Parole Board in July after they deemed he was no longer considered an "undue risk" to the safety of the community.

A number of release conditions were imposed - one being that Masters was forbidden from associating with gang members unless a specific exemption was made by his probation officer.

The Parole Board acknowledged Masters had a "number of" siblings involved in gangs and said the condition was "not intended to impede ordinary family contact".

It also banned him from entering "any areas where gangs congregate" including "fight clubs and gang pads".

In November the Herald revealed that Masters had been charged with breaching a condition "in that he associated with a known gang member".

Court documents do not state who that gang member was.

Masters pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In April, days before he was scheduled to appear in court, Masters was critically injured in a shooting at a Mt Wellington motorbike store.

It is understood he was shot multiple times.

Akustino Tae, 39, was charged with Masters' attempted murder.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Today Masters was set to appear in the Auckland District Court.

Earlier appearances had been excused due to his injuries and health.

He did not show up.

Court staff confirmed that a warrant has been issued for Masters' arrest.

The warrant will lie in court until Wednesday midday - meaning if he does not present himself before then, the order will be escalated and police can take further action.