KEY POINTS:
A Hell's Angels headquarters in the Auckland suburb of Mt Eden was raided by police this morning - one of three properties to be targeted.
Police said all the raids were carried out with search warrants. As well as the one in Mt Eden, properties were raided in
Patumahoe and South Head.
The Armed Offenders Squad was used at the Mt Eden and Patumahoe addresses, with distraction devices used in Mt Eden and tear gas in Patumahoe.
Two men, a 44-year-old and a 47-year-old, have been taken into custody and are likely to appear in the Auckland District Court today to face a charge of threatening to cause grevious bodily harm relating to an incident on May 17, police said.
Spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said: "At this stage no firearms have been recovered from any of the properties, though the search of the Mt Eden property is only just underway."
There were reports of a loud explosion and barking dogs shortly before 7am, but police said early reports of shots being fired were incorrect.
One neighbour told nzherald.co.nz: "It all started at around 6.25am, with shouting and a loud bang that sounded like a gunshot, but it was unclear if that was what is was or not.
"This was followed by the sound of a chainsaw or skillsaw as they gained access to the property. A few more gunshot-like bangs followed.
"My partner and I stood on the doorstep and couldn't see much, apart from armed offenders squad members moving around in the early morning fog.
"Then there was a barrage of light and sound bombs followed by intermittent periods of shouting and silence.
"Just as it was getting light, there was a commotion from the police dogs and the armed offenders squad, in black and matching balaclavas, brought out a number of people from the property.
"They were restrained with hands behind backs. Some of them were sat on the sidewalk and some stood."
The neighbour said there were around seven arrested people. One of them was led away while the rest were still on the footpath about 40 minutes later.
Prime News' Suzy Clarkson told Newstalk ZB early this morning: "We were woken about 20 minutes ago with a loud explosion and gun shots and dogs barking, and the sound of what we believe - we can't see because it is quite foggy this morning - to be an armed offenders squad going onto the property of Brentwood Ave, the Hells Angel property."
Police closed off the street and would not let members of the public or media within 50 metres of the house.
It is believed the property has been the headquarters of the Hells Angels for several years.
Some journalists, including Herald photographer Richard Robinson and NZPA photographer Wayne Drought, were threatened with arrest.
Robinson said he was on private property with the owner's permission when police said they would arrest him for attempting to take pictures.
Drought was taking photographs of the incident from a house next to the gang house when he was spotted by police and ordered to move back behind the cordon because he was interfering with the police operation.
- NZHERALD STAFF, NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB
