John MacDonald: The police have won the Comanchero battle. But who will win the war?

With nearly every Comanchero gang member in this country facing criminal charges, is this the beginning of the end for this Australian outfit’s New Zealand operation? 

They set-up shop here six years ago and have been helped enormously by Australia’s 501 deportation programme, but it’s not as if the gang’s been operating here just to give these guys something to do once they get off the plane from Sydney. 

Have no doubt, the Comancheros are here because they see it as a great place to make money. If they didn’t, they wouldn't be investing so much into their operation. 

It’s not a club. It’s a business. The question now, though, is whether the fall-out from this three-year operation by the police is going to make it too difficult for the Comancheros to do business here. 

When it comes to a start-up business, the Comancheros have wasted no time getting their share of the drug trade here. Especially, when you consider that they didn’t arrive en masse - it was a small, but influential group that arrived here first when the 501 deportations started. 

But, in just six years, they’ve more than given the other gangs a run for their money. One report I saw this morning said the Comancheros had created a “radical shift in the criminal underworld”. 

Nothing demonstrates that more than what the police are saying about the gang getting this former US marine into the country last year to give gang members training in combat drills and military tactics. 

So there they were —allegedly, of course— these gang members all dressed up in combat-style clothing with full face and body paint. Camouflage and everything. 

They were, apparently, using plastic bullets and real firearms in this training. The police are describing what went on as military-style camps. The purpose of them was to make sure the gang had the capability to take on wars and continue doing their hits. 

So they’ve rounded up next to every member in the country and thrown charges at them relating to importing and selling drugs, running what they’re saying was a pretty elaborate money laundering scheme, and running these military training camps run by a former US marine. 

Now there’s no doubt the Police have done a brilliant job. 

It’s taken them three years and, as we know, these kinds of operations are dangerous. They are dangerous, painstaking and they take time, so congratulations to the Police. But I reckon they’re going to have to keep the foot on the pedal if they think this is going to have a long-lasting impact on the Comancheros. 

In fact, I don’t think —long-term— that this is going to change much when it comes to this particular gang. 

And the reason I say that is because the Comancheros aren’t just some hokey kiwi gang. And let’s be honest, compared to the Comancheros, our other gangs are pretty hokey. 

But what the Comancheros have over all the other gangs here, are two things: money —and lots of it— and international connections. Head office is in Australia, where they’ve been causing strife for decades, and their international drug network is said to be second-to-none. If you can put it that way. 

So this sting by the police, while it’s absolutely brilliant, I think it is just going to be a blip for the Comancheros, and I don’t think this is the beginning of the end for them here in New Zealand. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Morning's Podcast with John McDonald
from News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Right now though, at eight minutes past nine, With nearly
every nearly every commoner a gang member in this country
facing criminal charges, is this the beginning of the end
for this Australian Outfits New Zealand operation. That's what everyone's
gonna be thinking today. They set up shop here six

(00:34):
years ago, just six years ago, and they've been helped enormously,
have they by Australia's five oh one deportation program? But
while Australia dumping its crims here hasn't helped, it's it's
not as if the gang's been operating here just to
give these guys something to do once they get off
the plane from Sydney. A. I mean, I have no

(00:56):
doubt about it. The commenteer is a here because they
say it as a great place to make money. If
they didn't, they wouldn't be investing so much into the operation.
You see. It's not a club, not just a gang.
It's a business. The question now, though, is whether the
fallout from this three year operation by the police, whether

(01:18):
it's going to make it just too difficult for the
common heroes to keep doing business here. And that's what
I'm keen to get your take on today. You know,
when it comes to a startup business, the Common Chiros,
they've wasted no time getting their share of the drug
trade here, especially when you consider that they didn't arrive
on mass You know, it was this small but influential
group that turned up here first when the five h

(01:40):
one deportation started. But in just six years they've more
than given, more than given. The other gangs are run
for their money. One report I said I saw this
morning said the Common Chiros had created a radical shift
in the criminal underworld. And tell you what, nothing demonstrates
that more than what the police are saying about the

(02:00):
gang getting this former US marine into the country last
year to give gang members training in combat drills and
military tactic. So there they were, allegedly, of course, I'll
cover myself there. There they were these gang members all
dressed up in combat style clothing with the full face
and the body paint, camouflage and everything, and they were

(02:20):
apparently using plastic bullets as well as real firearms in
this training. And the police are describing what went on
as at these military camps and the purpose of them
being to make sure the gang had the capability to
quote take on our wars and to continue to do
our hits. So the cops have rounded up pretty much

(02:43):
every member in the country and the thrown charges at
them in relation to importing and selling drugs. No surprises
there running what they're saying was a pretty elaborate money
laundering scheme and running these military camps. I don't think.
I don't think we've heard of anything like this since
those allegations. Remember more than ten years ago about those

(03:03):
guerrilla training camps some people thought were happening in the
or we're a national park. But I think that what
the police alleged the common Ciros have been up to
with their training camp. So it's next level a especially
when you consider that they're saying it was a former
US Marine running them. Now there's no doubt, don't get
me wrong, there is absolutely no doubt. The police have

(03:25):
done a brilliant job. It's taken them three years, and
as we know, these kinds of operations, they're dangerous, they're dangerous,
they're painstaking, and they take time. And how tempting must
it have been, How tempting must it have been? For
the Police commissioner, you know, when he was criticized left,
right and center for being soft on gangs. How tempting
must it have been for him to say, hold on

(03:46):
a minute, mate, actually we're actually donkey deep at the
moment and quite a big operation. I mean, he couldn't
have said that, of course, must have been tempting though,
So congratulations to the police. But I reckon they're going
to have to keep the foot on the pedal if
they think this is going to have a long lasting
impact on the common heroes. In fact, I don't think
long term that this is going to change much. It's

(04:09):
not going to change things much when it comes to
this particular gang. And the reason I say that is
because the common Heers they're not just some hoki kiwi gang.
And it's be honest, Compared to the common Cieros, our
other gangs are pretty hokey. But what the common Cheeros
have over the rest of them are two things. Money

(04:29):
and lots of it, and international connections. Head offices in
Australia where they've been causing strife for decades, and their
international drug network is said to be second to none,
if you can put it that way. So this thing
by the police, while it's absolutely brilliant, I think it's
just going to be a blip for the common Heeeros

(04:50):
and I don't think this is the beginning of the
end for them here in New Zealand. But what about you.
Do you think the fact that nearly all of the
common Heroes here in New Zealand are facing drugs, money
laundering other charges after this operation, do you think it
will be enough to make the common Heros quit New Zealand?
What do you think they're here to stay? We'll call
me right now and tell me what you think. Our
number here at News Talks 'd B is our eight

(05:12):
hundred and eighty ten eighty.

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