Naufahu was jailed for 10 years by Justice Graham Lang in February over his role in a sophisticated money laundering and drugs scheme. We respect every Motorcycle Club that adheres to proper MC protocol. Search warrants were also executed at the home linked to Rahman in Suva where Fijian Police discovered 39kg of cocaine, presumably destined for the Australian and New Zealand markets. The president of the Comanchero Motorcycle Club president Pasilika Naufahu came to New Zealand in 2016 and went about setting up the gang for monetary gain while those around him enjoyed the benefits, the Crown say. A senior Comanchero MC member has admitted charges of money laundering and participating in an organised criminal group, just weeks before his trial was due to start. Naufahus lawyer Ron Mansfield said his client is a good husband and father to four children, who tried to set up a life in New Zealand after being deported under the 501 scheme. 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. This stabbing attack occurred as part of the Sydney Airport Brawl in 2009. Pasilika Naufahu at his sentencing today in the High Court at Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook The Comancheros gang boss has been denied parole for a second time in four months because he is still considered an excessive risk if released. "I'm so honoured to be your son, you taught me how to be a man, you're a legend to this club. 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.. Pasilika Naufahu is on trial for drug, money laundering and organised crime charges. However, that is a consequence of your decisions.". 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 "That's my only income," he said to the bank teller. Copyright Star Media Network 2019. The five were arrestedfollowing a series of raidsacross Auckland in April 2019 in which more than $3.7 million in assets were seized along withluxury cars, motorbikes, high-end luggageand jewellery. Justice van Bohemen said Simpson was the facilitator of the money-laundering scheme, who used his specialist skills and knowledge as a lawyer. At the Court of Appeal, Ron Mansfield QC argued the statements made by a man who has name suppression, should have been ruled inadmissible because there was an absence of reasonable evidence that Naufahu was a member of the $1m conspiracy to supply pseudoephedrine. The defence has yet to have its arguments heard. The success of the group saw brand new luxury vehicles purchased along with a waterfront apartment, trips on luxury yachts and a $1.3 million Bucklands Beach house. The High Court judge detailed how Naufahu's family had moved to Australia when he was only one, and they struggled under financial hardship. Jesse Vella, nephew of former Rebels President Alex Vella and cousin of current President Damien Vella, touched upon the club in the poem he read at the service. Nearly $1.3 million in cash was deposited into the lawyers trust account, which was then used to purchase expensive cars and property. "Everything that I am today, I owe it all to you. Payments were also made by Hakaraia to Comanchero vice president Tyson Daniels to buy another new Range Rover. However, the Court substituted the gang boss 10 year imprisonment to one of nine years. We are making these materials available in an effort for news reporting or educational purposes. Go to the back of the car and put it in the boot, the man says. Since then, however, Daniels has been a model prisoner. Naufahu, however, believed he had been treated seriously unfairly and he would not be transferred to another prison to complete the programme. The Court of Appeal judges accepted Justice Langs 10 per cent discount for cultural factors was appropriate given Naufahu chose to take up the leading role in the Comancheros. Vetekina Naufahu admitted to money laundering and possessing ecstasy, and is the latest Comanchero member to be sentenced after massive police raids in 2019. The offending was sophisticated, said Justice van Bohemen, with encrypted devices used to avoid detection by police. The man goes on to tell Sha about the richest man in the country who has a billion dollars. Despite this, Simpson was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison. Insane Throttle Support Club Become a member Now, Insane Throttle/Motorcycle Madhouse Radio YouTube and Audio Disclaimer, Meet the Insane Throttle Contributing Columnist James Hollywood Macecari, Motorcycle Clubs Riding Clubs and Associations Near Me Index & Listings, Our Policies here at Insane Throttle Publications. A shipment of 613 kilograms of methamphetamine - with what police say is a retail value of more than $245 million - was stopped at Auckland Airport last Thursday. Daniels was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison, later extended by three months for punching another inmate. The Crown produced other bugged phone calls and photographic evidence of multiple people depositing small sums of money at various banks accounts. Mr Naufahus resurrection of his gang affiliations and his resort to offending in Auckland was virtually guaranteed when he was deported to New Zealand.. The president of the NZ chapter of the Comancheros, Pasilika Naufahu, started his trial standing alongside fellow gang member Connor Clausen, accountant Wiwini Hakaraia, as well as a media personality and a woman - who both have name suppression. Comanchero Motorcycle Gang members have been arrested in Auckland. The Comanchero members and associates were arrested in April 2019 after a massive police search. There cant be any sensible reason that these payments were loans, Johnstone said. Fonua had earlier pleaded guilty to participating in an organised criminal group, money laundering and possession of 5.9g of methamphetamine. I deeply regret a father being separated from his family. 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. In July, a 60-year-old man who travelled to Mexico was sentenced to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to four charges of importing a Class A drug after being identified in Operation Nova. "Ok, I delete," came the reply. The court heard Naufahu was a middle child of six children and the family had been under financial stress and hardship. Board chairman Sir Ron Young said it was pointed out that Naufahu had the responsibility of caring for young children, and that appeared to conflict with the fact of his significant involvement in money laundering and conspiracy to supply drugs. 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. 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. "Another Comanchero chapter opened up. Photo: Supplied, Tyson Daniels, in the gold Versace top, and Auckland lawyer Andrew Simpson at their sentencing hearing in February 2020. Members made a splash in 2018 with social media posts of black and gold-clad members gathered around gold-plated motorcycles. I'll just have to wait for my time to come. Most updated Motorcycle community news from all the World, Motorcycle Clubs news, 1%er news. Around the same time, a consignment of a kitchen stovetops shipped from the United States had been seized by Customs and examined. He was "surprised" to be deported given his imprisonment in Australia had been in short stints. Earlier, two other men, one of whom will be called as a witness, discuss buying an airplane and whether the particular model could fly all the way from Auckland to Fiji without stopping for fuel. The reality was that [the media personality] was running [the concreting business] for the joint benefit for himself and the organised criminal group, Johnstone said. When Jesse Vella stood to farewell his father, he must have appeared the picture of loyalty. 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. The brother of the Comanchero gang president has been jailed after moving to New Zealand to help his deported sibling. The hairdresser, He Sha, was jailed in 2020 after he admitted crossing the Tasman to sell pseudoephedrine in a failed deal. Police feared the gang's connections to international organised crime groups and sophisticated tradecraft would give it outsized influence in New Zealand's criminal underworld. "Your place in the Comancheros hierarchy means you were one of the directors of this serious offending, which exemplifies how organised criminal groups can obtain significant financial benefit from offending without putting themselves directly at risk.". Naufahu previously admitted participating in an organised criminal group, unlawful possession of ammunition and four charges of money laundering, in relation to the purchase of his Bucklands Beach house. Earlier this month Naufahu admitted participating in an organised criminal group, four charges of money laundering and being in possession of ammunition. Hakaraia offered cover as a professional service provider and businessman by reviewing the accounts of the concrete business, Johnstone said. If you wish to use any copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain expressed permission from the copyright owner. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook. The cheap wholesale price of $120,000 per kilogram was agreed to by both parties, in a deal the police believed would weigh at least 100kg (a nice number with two zeros). Photo: Michael Craig, A New Zealand chapter of the Comancheros gang was established in 2018 after members were deported from Australia. They will be sentenced on October 23. A lawyer was used to set up trusts for Naufahu and other group members. Meet the heavily tattooed underworld boss who has taken over as president of Australia's most powerful bikie gang the Comancheros. Naufahu eventually found comradeship with gangs in Sydney and the Comancheros before being deported to New Zealand. Intercepted communications and video taken by police showed the man and Naufahu meeting, but Mansfield QC argued the meetings involved money laundering and not pseudoephedrine. When detectives told him that an audio device had been covertly installed in his hotel room on Queen St, Rahman said: "Oh shit". And it came just days after "Mick" Hawi, the former national president of the Comancheros in Australia, was fatally gunned down in a Sydney gym carpark, by two masked men in broad daylight. Hakaraia has denied participating in an organised criminal group; two charges of possession of class A drug for supply, namely cocaine and methamphetamine; and three charges of money laundering including $439,700 used towards two concrete pumps and $110,000 used towards purchasing a Range Rover. He is capable. Around the same time, a consignment of a kitchen stovetops shipped from the United States had been seized by Customs and examined. Justice Sally Fitzgerald convicted Naufahu of the three offences and scheduled a sentencing date of October 23, 2020, alongside his fellow Comanchero Jarome Fonua. His wife and a number of supporters were present in court for Naufahu's sentencing on Friday. 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. 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). 'Insider threat': Shipping container linked to gang vanishes on truck with help of port worker Gangs of New Zealand: Inside the 'uncontrolled growth' of the gang scene - NZ Herald. Shortly after the man and Naufahu were seen by police sitting in the Howick Village Cafe. Not surprisingly he had sought out the company of others in the same situation, he said. The Court of Appeal was satisfied the connection between the erosion of Naufahus Tongan cultural values and his offending. Visit image gallery to purchase the image. Video / Mike Scott. Senior Comancheros Tyson Daniels, left, and Jarome Fonua have pleaded guilty to money laundering and participating in an organised criminal group. You clearly knew the money was derived from significant importation of drugs.. All of these defendants contributed to his organised criminal group and helped it succeed until the police intervened in April 2019.. Justice Sally Fitzgerald convicted Naufahu of the three offences and scheduled a sentencing date of October 23, 2020, alongside his fellow Comanchero Jarome Fonua. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. Clausen is charged with conspiring to supply class B drug pseudoephedrine. Naufahu was arrested as a part of a covert police investigation called Operation Nova that targeted the Comanchero Motorcycle Club. They dont want to arrive if the pseudo is not here, the man replies. "Dad, don't send me message [sic] like that. Gang president Pasilika Naufahu was among those put behind bars, sentenced to 10 years' jail after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply the Class B drug pseudoephedrine. He said: Youre going to start off with a nice number with two zeroes. Make sure you have subscribed to our Facebook page or Twitter to stay tuned! Defendants, jurors, counsel and media are all required to physically distance and wear masks in the courtroom. Clausen had his appeal dismissed earlier this year. Shortly after, Sha talks with someone on the phone and tells the man your boss cancelled. 'I got hooked then and there': Conservationist in her 80s documents rare sea lion species, Race and erasure: Why the world's other humanitarian crises don't see the same response as Ukraine. Justice Sally Fitzgerald convicted Naufahu of the three offences and scheduled a sentencing date of October 23, 2020, alongside his fellow . New York Times: Dark growth, fed by alcohol vapours, coats homes, cars and road signs. Young said the board was convinced Naufahu remained an undue risk and could not be released. He was called the Wire Guy because he laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in wire transfers overseas. "Wait until you see me then talk to me. At school Naufahu was bullied for his speech and skin colour, and he used violence to deal with this which won the approval of his father who had previously been violent. This website may contain copyrighted material, the use of which may not have been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. "He did not think in any event that programme would be helpful for him because he did not consider he was a violent person and so that would be essentially a waste of time for him.". Photo: Supplied, Senior Comancheros Tyson Daniels, left, and Jarome Fonua have pleaded guilty to money laundering and participating in an organised criminal group. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Allan Meehan, 35, is the new leader of Australia's most powerful . Seiana Fakaosilea, the gang's sergeant-at-arms, was not arrested in Operation Nova. Later that afternoon, the man is heard telling Sha to tell the guy thats coming with the pseudo to drop it in the boot. Rahman was unknown to the team of detectives running Operation Nova until he was overheard talking to one of the frontmen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, whose phone conversations were bugged by police. "It would take considerable willpower on your part to break away from those contacts.". Later, another recording includes the Comancheros president talking to a bank operator over the phone to apply for a credit card. The call was made in Mexico and the caller was identified as Rahman; a Fijian-Indian who lived in Suva, who had dual Canadian citizenship and travelled regularly to Mexico and the United States. The house was purchased with Naufahus 7-year-old son listed as the owner. Naufahu has denied conspiring to import a class A drug, conspiring to supply class B drug pseudoephedrine and three charges of money laundering, namely using $212,796.96 towards purchasing a Bentley, Ford Ranger and a concrete pump. Break away from those contacts. `` or Twitter to stay tuned of loyalty man your cancelled... The Court heard Naufahu was jailed for 10 years by Justice Graham Lang in February over his role a! Used his specialist skills and knowledge as a professional service provider and by! 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