Hundreds of gang members headed to the Bay of Plenty for the tangi. Photo: NZ HeraldNational is announcing a new policy intended to give gang members tougher criminal sentences, just days after two Bay of Plenty towns accommodated a large Mongrel Mob funeral procession that led to schools closing, a highway being shut off and a police investigation into gunshots. Photo: NZ HeraldUnder a National Government, this policy would mean gang membership would always be an aggravating factor, regardless of the office committed. In practice, it means offenders who are known members of criminal gangs will likely face tougher sentences for crime.”According to the latest quarterly Gang Harm Insights Report, there were 8875 gang members across 33 gangs on police’s National Gang List - a percentage increase of about 10 percent from August last year. The party would also boost police powers to enable warrantless searches to find guns held by gang members, to prevent gang members from communicating and to restrict their public meetings.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 18, 2023 03:38 UTC