Gang members ‘doubled’
PA Wellington Police estimates of total gang membership have doubled in the two years since the Roper report on violence. The police now believe there are more than 4400 patch members, prospects and associates in 45 known gangs in New Zealand, compared with 1986 estimates of 2200 in 44 gangs. But the revised estimate is the result of improvements in police
intelligence-gathering as much as a swelling of gang membership, according to the national head of criminal investigation and intelligence, Detective Superintendent Colin Wilson. The Mongrel Mob was the biggest gang, followed by Black Power, he said, but he refused to make public assessments of membership. In its submission to the 1986 Ministerial committee of inquiry into violence, chaired by Sir
Clinton Roper, the police said the Mongrel Mob had 670 members, Black Power had 413, Devil’s Henchmen 108, and Storm Troopers 50. A breakdown of all gang membership and location was included with the submissions. Gangs were of special interest to police because they were involved in a significantly disproportionate amount of crime, Detective Superintendent Wilson said. :
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Press, 26 September 1988, Page 1
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181Gang members ‘doubled’ Press, 26 September 1988, Page 1
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