Police swoop on Mob

Explosives, guns and drugs have been found in a swoop on Mongrel Mob houses in Rotorua, police say.
Ten people have been charged following six raids of Rotorua houses in Homedale, Ngapuna, Owhata, Glenholme, Whakarewarewa Village and Western Heights.
Yesterday's raids, which began before dawn, were part of a Bay-wide sting on the gang which also saw nine people arrested in Tauranga, some of whom were Rotorua Mongrel Mob associates.
About 40 Rotorua police officers found drugs - including more than 25 grams of methamphetamine and 12 cannabis plants - and a large assortment of stolen property and weapons.
Charges faced by those arrested range from possession of methamphetamine for supply to possession of explosives, possession of a pistol and possession of a crossbow.
One gang member appeared in the High Court in Rotorua yesterday charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply and was granted bail.
Two of the houses were raided before 6am yesterday using members of the Rotorua armed offenders squad.
The squad used distraction devices, also known as stun grenades, to distract the suspects as they gained entry.
Some residents in the area told the Daily Post they thought the noise of the devices was gunfire.
Rotorua police area commander Inspector Bruce Horne said the raids in Rotorua and Tauranga followed increased activity by the gang in the Bay during the past few weeks.
He said Rotorua police had been putting pressure on the Mongrel Mob locally since last year.
"Hopefully the Mongrel Mob are starting to get the message. They have been a focus for us for a while now."

He said police were particularly concerned that older members of the gang had been recruiting young people and then encouraging them to commit crime.
"That's a gang problem nationwide. That's what gangs do."
All of those arrested will appear in the Rotorua District Court over the next week.
Meanwhile, in Tauranga nine people were arrested in a series of raids also targeting Mongrel Mob members.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner of the Tauranga CIB said police searched houses in Gate Pa, Merivale and Welcome Bay, with the help of the Tauranga and Waikato armed offenders squads. Four were charged on arrest warrants after failing to appear in courts at Rotorua, Porirua, Hamilton and Auckland.
Police found 84 grams of pure methamphetamine and property stolen in burglaries in the Western Bay of Plenty.
Mr Turner said the warrants targeted gang members who had recently moved to the Bay of Plenty from other North Island areas.
Those arrested came from Rotorua, Hamilton, Porirua and South Auckland, as well as Tauranga.