Wairoa mobsters ‘want to clean up’

Press, 19 February 1988, Page 2

Wairoa mobsters ‘want to clean up’

PA Napier The Opposition spokesman on the police, Mr John Banks, yesterday visited the Wairoa Mongrel Mob house which on Wednesday evening he said was a “flea-ridden, rats’ nest, gang headquarters.” He said that although the handful of mobsters at the Campbell Street house — focus of clean-up-the-gang pressure in the town — were aggressive when he arrived, he believes a lot of good came from the meeting. Mr Banks, who also on Wednesday referred to mobsters who were involved in the Ambury Park pack rape 14 months ago as “sewer rats,” said he felt no anxiety when he arrived for the meeting. He was accompanied by his National Party colleague and Waikaremoana member of Parliament, Mr Roger McLay. Mr Banks said that initially, gang members did not want him and Mr McLay to cross “a certain line” on the property. Mr McLay, who arranged the meeting through a gang member he met when trying to settle problems in the town some years ago, said the gang wanted to clean up their image and the headquarters. “They want tools, but maintain that in the past tools have been taken from them by police,” he said.

“They were shocking conditions but I do know they want to clean them up. And they want work.”