The money laundering charge relates to his late-model Range Rover, worth around $150,000, while the organised crime charge carries the most significant penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The offending was sophisticated, said Justice van Bohemen, with encrypted devices used to avoid detection by police. Justice Lang said despite Naufahu steadfastly denying being involved in drug dealing, his conviction was useful insight in to the modus operandi of the gang. Of the dozens of intercepted calls using nicknames and codes played during the trial, none have involved the local Comancheros president until now. Naufahu whose brother Pasilika is the president of the New Zealand chapter of the Australian motorcycle club also pleaded guilty to possession of MDMA, or Ecstasy, which is a Class-B controlled drug. Thieves get their hands dirty on building sites, what the Governments latest Kiwibuild changes could mean for you, and a female officer knocked out in a vicious attack in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Those guilty verdicts mean that since the Herald on Sunday revealed the infamous Instagram post announcing their arrival in 2018, five of the six founding members of the New Zealand Comancheros have been convicted of either serious drug or money laundering offences. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook Alleged Comancheros members accused of brazen Auckland attack keep names secret for now They have been jointly charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Comanchero Motorcycle Club president Pasilika Naufahu has been denied parole for a second time in four months. "From the way that I talk from the way that I move. Naufahu moved to Australia when he was 1 year old and was deported when he was 28, Mansfield said. Photos / Michael Craig; Chelsea Boyle; Supplied Edited extract from Gangland: New Zealand's Underworld of Organised Crime, by Jared Savage ( HarperCollins NZ, RRP $ 36.99). How many times do I need to say - I'm gonna get arrested soon. An outlaw motorcycle club is a motorcycle subculture.It is generally centered on the use of cruiser motorcycles, particularly Harley-Davidsons and choppers, and a set of ideals that purport to celebrate freedom, nonconformity to mainstream culture, and loyalty to the biker group.. Neither man was charged with drug offences. A video, taken by police, was played at trial showing the brother of a man who the Crown says is at the heart of the case and an Australian hairdresser meeting with Clausen. Then in February 2019, two separate consignments from the United States a waffle maker and coffee brewer- were stopped at the border by Customs, each containing 2.9kg of methamphetamine. Comanchero gang leader Pasilika Naufahu has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Clausen has already been sentenced to three years and eight months' imprisonment. He told them Naufahu arrived in New Zealand from Australia in early 2016 and quickly went about establishing the New Zealand chapter of the Comancheros. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook. Comanchero Motorcycle Gang members have been arrested in Auckland. A trial involving laundering and drug charges against Comanchero president Pasilika Naufahu, Connor Michael Tamati Clausen, accountant Wiwini Himi Hakaraia, a media personality who has name suppression, and a woman also with name suppression is in its third week at the High Court at Auckland. There was nearly 5kg of methamphetamine inside. Hawi's violent death revived memories of the 2009 bikie wars and the Sydney airport brawl. The Comanchero Motorcycle Club president told the board he had done everything he possibly could in prison to show he was a responsible citizen. Clausen is charged with conspiring to supply class B drug pseudoephedrine. In August,club treasurer Jarome FonuaandVetekinaadmitted their parts in the operation. Vetekina Naufahu pleaded guilty to three charges at a High Court hearing this morning, held by audio-visual link because of the Covid-19 lockdown in Auckland. Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. Daniels was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison, later extended by three months for punching another inmate. He is capable. Tyson Daniels is the vice president of the Comanchero MC in New Zealand. The offending was sophisticated, said Justice van Bohemen, with encrypted devices used to avoid detection by police. Vetekina and Fonua now join Tyson Daniels, the gang's vice-president, and Auckland lawyer Andrew Simpson in being convicted of laundering criminal profits. In sentencing Daniels who was wearing a Versace top in Comanchero colours of black and gold to four years and eight months in prison, Justice Gerard van Bohemen said the senior club member played a crucial role overseeing the clubs operations for significant personal gain. Simpson was jailed for two years and nine months after admitting laundering more than $2 million for Naufahu and the gang. In response, police launched Operation Nova, eventually terminated in April 2019 when most of the Comancheros' hierarchy were arrested and charged with money laundering and participating in an organised criminal group. I've banked those cheques about a 100,000 in Kiwi's one. If you are a copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of one or authorized to act under any exclusive right under copyright, please report alleged copyright infringements taking place on or through the site by completing the DMCA Notice of Alleged Infringement and delivering it to our Designated Copyright Agent. The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to nine charges of money laundering and participating in an organised criminal group, in relation to purchasing a fleet of luxury vehicles worth $2.6 million, including late-model Range Rovers, a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce. There is lack of support for those who are returned to New Zealand by Australia under these provisions.. Two more people involved with the Comancheros motorcycle gang have been sentenced after police surveilled a failed million dollar drug deal and a money launderer funnelling stacks of cash through. Tallat Rahman, from Suva, was arrested in February 2019 in the first phase of the inquiry, which discovered how parcels of methamphetamine weighing up to 5kg were hidden inside kitchen appliances shipped from the United States. One of the Comanchero members pictured is Pasilika Naufahu, once a senior member of the gang in Sydney, who was deported two years ago, according to the New Zealand Herald. He had admitted participating in an organised criminal group and nine money laundering charges which came from purchasing a swag of expensive vehicles. Earlier this month, Fakaosilea was found guilty on several charges of conspiring to import methamphetamine, including a 600kg shipment from South Africa, as well as supplying the Class-A drug. Shortly after, Sha talks with someone on the phone and tells the man your boss cancelled. Photo: Supplied, Connor Clausen during the first day of the Operation Nova trial at the High Court in Auckland. All rights reserved. The Crown said Naufahu told one person to download 'Signal', an encrypted messaging app, and discusses with his brother about getting their father to use it. They dont want to arrive if the pseudo is not here, the man replies. one of the founding members of the New Zealand chapter in 2018 but was arrested a year later following a covert investigation, Operation Nova, which targeted the gang's criminal activity. At trial, the Crowns case was that Naufahu arrived in New Zealand with zero dollars in his bank account. Bullied at school, Naufahu found the way to deal with this was violence, which won the approval of his father, he said. As part of his release plan, Daniels will attend a rehabilitation programme and one-on-one private counselling with a psychologist. Young said the board was confident the programme recommended was the appropriate risk-based treatment for him and hoped he would undertake it with an open mind. The. The late admissions come shortly before the pair were due to stand trial at the High Court in September, along with other members of the gang and their associates on charges laid in April 2019 following Operation Nova. Later that day, the man yells at Sha that he is wasting time and is going to blow the deal. The Crown has opened its case against Comancheros gang boss Pasilika Naufahu on drug and money laundering charges. Video / Mike Scott. New York Times: Dark growth, fed by alcohol vapours, coats homes, cars and road signs. There were "hints" in some of the reports that he was considering a change in lifestyle but the judge viewed the likelihood of that as remote. A number of trusts were set up and various bank accounts were used to launder money to then purchase luxury cars and property. But another thing the success of the group bought with it was a problem, the problem was how to hide the crimes that were generating all the money, Johnstone said. Nearly $1.3 million in cash was deposited into the lawyer's trust account, which was then used to purchase expensive cars and property. Naufahu was arrested following a series of raids across Auckland in April 2019 in which more than $3.7 million in assets was seized, along with luxury cars, motorbikes, high-end luggage and jewellery. The Comanchero Motorcycle Club New Zealand president feared he was about to be arrested eight months before a major police bust and also suspected police were bugging his phone, a jury has been told. At trial, Naufahu was found guilty of two charges of money laundering in relation to the purchase of a Bentley and Ford Ranger. More than $1.2m in cash was deposited into Simpsons trust account at his law practice, which was also used to purchase some of the cars belonging to Daniels and allegedly others in the club, as well as real estate such as a $1.3m home in Auckland. Photo: Jason Oxenham / NZH, This gold-plated motorcycle was among the assets seized in Operation Nova. These include electronic monitoring with a curfew between 10pm-6am, not to use drugs, not to communicate or associate with co-offenders, or anyone connected to the Comancheros. Make sure you have subscribed to our Facebook page or Twitter to stay tuned! I'll just have to wait for my time to come. The pair parted ways before the man made various stops and took photos of his car before he was observed meeting up with Sha and the pair also made multiple stops around the city. The vice-president of the Comancheros says he is a "changed man" and plans to distance himself from his criminal associates now he has been released from prison, according to the Parole Board. Pasilika Naufahu is on trial for drug, money laundering and organised crime charges. It demonstrated the drug dealing was conducted from a distance by others on his behalf, Justice Lang said. They will be sentenced on October 23. Mick Hawi was a former Comanchero MC President. When brought in for questioning by police, Rahman claimed to be in New Zealand on holiday. Naufahu - whose brother Pasilika is the president of the New Zealand chapter of the Australian motorcycle gang - also pleaded guilty to possession of MDMA, or Ecstasy, which is a Class-B controlled drug. The Australian motorcycle gang established a chapter in New Zealand after 14 members were deported as so-called "501s", in reference to the section of Australia's immigration law used to revoke visas on "character" grounds. A number of luxury vehicles were seized in the 2019 police raid. one of the founding members of the New Zealand chapter in 2018 but was arrested a year later following a covert investigation, Operation Nova, which targeted the gang's criminal activity. Mansfield said Naufahu has never shied away from admitting to being the president of the New Zealand chapter of the Comanchero gang. Around the same time, a consignment of a kitchen stovetops shipped from the United States had been seized by Customs and examined. The gang was joined by others whose skills and attributes helped the flow of financial rewards, the court heard. On Monday afternoon, Crown prosecutor David Johnstone opened the case to the jury. Daniels politely declined to comment to the Herald on Sunday. 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