
Arrests, Assets Restraints Following Police Operation Targeting Greazy DogsMC
On 17 – 18 June, Police carried out 35 search warrants at properties across Tauranga, including the Greazy Dogs MC pad. Those arrested as a result of these warrants include senior members of the Greazy Dog MC, including the national vice president and the sergeant at arms.
'The arrests and asset restraints this week mark the successful culmination of a National Organised Crime Group (NOCG) operation that began in late 2024,' says Detective Inspector Albie Alexander.
'This operation – Operation Kingtide – identified the Greazy Dogs MC as controlling the methamphetamine supply across the western Bay of Plenty, through local manufacture.'
Search warrants executed located firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine, chemicals and equipment used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, cannabis and approximately $25,000 in cash.
In addition, Police's Asset Recovery Unit has restrained more than $1.5 million of assets to date, including two residential properties, two cars and three motorcycles.
Further search warrants are being carried out this week and more arrests and charges are likely.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
'With the arrest of these senior gang members and the seizure of their equipment and assets, I'm confident we have dealt a significant blow to the Greazy Dogs' methamphetamine operation, and the supply of methamphetamine in the western Bay of Plenty,' says Detective Inspector Alexander.
'Police will continue to focus on the enforcement and disruption of such criminal groups, who are dealing primarily in the sale and supply of methamphetamine into our most vulnerable communities.'
Bay of Plenty District Commander, Superintendent Tim Anderson, has welcomed the arrests of the Greazy Dogs MC members and associates, saying he has seen first-hand the immense harm that methamphetamine causes in communities in Bay of Plenty and across New Zealand.
'The Greazy Dogs MC, as with other gangs involved in the supply of methamphetamine in New Zealand, are in this for the money. They don't care about the enormous damage the drug is doing to families in our communities, even though many of them are parents themselves. All they are interested in is how much money they can make for themselves and their associates.'
Working alongside the officers undertaking enforcement action this week has been the team from the Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) programme, which takes a multi-agency approach to help address the social conditions that feed the emergence or growth of organised crime, and the harms that flow from it.
Op Manawaroa (Resilience) has run alongside Operation Kingtide and is led by Bay of Plenty ROCC, with assistance from other ROCC regions including Eastern, Southern and Porirua.
'What this looks like in practice is officers and senior advisors from our ROCC team visiting homes after search warrants have been executed, looking to engage and support families and whānau of those arrested,' Superintendent Anderson.
'Our local ROCC team, with the support of other Police harm prevention work groups, local agencies, iwi and community partners, will continue to work with families and whānau of those affected. This is a long-term approach to prevention and in response to mitigating and preventing further harm and offending.'
Arrest and charge details to date:
25-year-old Tauranga man - charged with participating in an organised criminal group, supplying methamphetamine, offering to supply methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine
34-year-old Mt Maunganui man - charged with participating in an organised criminal group, supplying methamphetamine, offering to supply methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine for supply
34-year-old Papamoa man – charged with participating in an organised criminal group, supplying methamphetamine, offering to supply methamphetamine, and possession for supply of methamphetamine
33-year-old Mt Maunganui man – charged with participating in an organised criminal group, supplying methamphetamine, offering to supply methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for supply, and conspiring to supply cocaine
37-year-old Tauranga man – charged with participating in an organised criminal group, supplying methamphetamine, offering to supply methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine for supply.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NZ Herald
5 days ago
- NZ Herald
Stiff jail sentences for South American-linked Operation Bali cocaine and meth smuggling syndicate
She stayed in contact with her ex-husband back home, an alleged drug dealer named Eddy, and when her son joined her in New Zealand some years later, she helped him in his drug-dealing activities too. Now she is in prison. So is her Kiwi husband, her son and another South American immigrant, who all joined forces in a criminal group to import Class A drugs – cocaine and methamphetamine. The Wellington-based syndicate operated at least between February 2021 and June 2022, importing an estimated 28.6kg of methamphetamine and 5kg of cocaine. A joint police and Customs investigation, codenamed Operation Bali, was started after Customs intercepted several drug consignments at the border. The amounts in each and the packaging led Customs to believe the consignments were somehow related to each other. Joint investigation set up They notified police, and a joint investigation was set up, with a core group of five Customs investigators and between five and 10 police officers. Some of the suspects were identified as foreign nationals who were using Spanish in their communications. Spanish-speaking police officers were brought in to provide translations in 'close to real time', according to Detective Senior Sergeant Trevor Collett of the National Organised Crime Group. Collett told NZME that authorities have seen an increase in methamphetamine and cocaine coming into New Zealand in recent years from Central and South America. He said this could be attributed to the drug cartels in those areas expanding into the South Pacific. 'New Zealand is considered by international standards a very lucrative market for the sale of methamphetamine and cocaine,' Collett said. 'Users in New Zealand pay premium prices for the controlled drugs, and suppliers such as the South American cartels can maximise their profit by supplying the New Zealand market.' In Operation Bali, the drugs arrived in packages and consignments addressed to fictitious people, or hidden in imported items, including the legs of a wooden table, a plate from a roading compactor, a metal cog, and a sausage grill. Some of the meth seized in Operation Bali was concealed in a package containing a picture of the Virgin Mary. Photo / NZ Police Some of it was even in a package containing a painting of the Virgin Mary. Operation Bali culminated in June 2022, when police with 11 search warrants raided properties in Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Hamilton. Searches found $450,000 in cash The searches uncovered not only drugs, but also more than $450,000 in cash. The subsequent court cases resulted in hefty prison sentences for syndicate members, handed down by Justice Helen McQueen in the High Court at Wellington. Romero Lopez's New Zealand husband, Peter Alexander Wellman, got the stiffest prison sentence in the group after pleading guilty to importing cocaine, importing and supplying methamphetamine, conspiring to possess methamphetamine for supply, and money laundering. He was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison, with no chance of parole for three years and four months. Another leading member of the group, Sergio Antonio Vargas Gonzalez, was sentenced to seven years and three months for importing methamphetamine and cocaine. Romero Lopez's son, Juan Sebastian Galicia Romero, pleaded guilty to importing methamphetamine and cocaine and conspiring to possess meth for supply. He was sentenced to six years and nine months in jail. Romero Lopez herself, who said she was acting in deference to Wellman and to please her son, pleaded guilty to importing cocaine and money laundering. She was sent to prison for four years. Gonzalez's former partner, Frances Petersen, pleaded guilty to being a party to the importation of methamphetamine and received a sentence of eight and a half months of home detention. Peter Wellman used his company, Speciality Glaziers, to rent a storage container where the Class A drugs were extracted from imported goods and processed. Photo / Facebook Court documents say Wellman used his business, Speciality Glaziers, to rent a storage container where the drugs were extracted from the imported goods and processed. When police searched the house that Wellman and Romero Lopez shared, they found $144,000 hidden in the hot-water cupboard. The money laundering transactions for which Romero Lopez and Wellman were charged involved buying vehicles with cash – the couple paid $25,500 for a Nissan X-Trail SUV, and Wellman handed over $48,000 in cash for a caravan. Crash caused pain, financial hardship They explained their offending by saying it stemmed from a setback which caused them pain and financial hardship. Wellman and Romero Lopez were involved in a serious car accident in 2018. Wellman's ability to work was compromised by his injuries, and he turned to meth to deal with the pain while he was working. Before then, he had been considered a hard-working and highly regarded member of the community, according to references provided to the court from a former employer, a neighbour and friends. Wellman had previous convictions, not specified by the sentencing judge, but apart from a driving offence in 2002, they were all more than 30 years ago. But after Wellman started taking meth, he became addicted. His use increased dramatically, and he needed money to pay for the drug at the same time that he was earning less from his business and using up his savings. He was offered the chance to obtain meth at a reduced cost if he became a supplier and found other people to sell it to. Claudia Romero Lopez and Peter Wellman were both sent to prison. Photo / Facebook Early life abusive and chaotic Romero Lopez was described as having an 'extremely difficult personal history' in South America before moving to New Zealand 14 years ago. She came from poverty. Her early life was unstable and abusive, chaotic and traumatic. She was caught up in a gang-related drug cartel, although she later claimed that she had never used illegal drugs herself. She had no previous convictions. She was married for a while to the alleged drug supplier Eddy. She later met and married Wellman in New Zealand, but suffered spinal injuries in the 2018 car crash, leaving her unable to work. Romero Lopez claimed she was unaware of the cash found at her home, telling a probation officer that she looked after the house, and he looked after the money. '[I] didn't question where the money came from,' she was quoted as saying. 'Women from my culture and situation don't do that.' Romero Lopez said that some of her offending was to help her son, Galicia Romero, who took a leading role in the syndicate. She said she would 'try to do anything' to make her son happy. Galicia Romero worked with contacts overseas to send the drug imports to several New Zealand addresses. Court documents say he was personally responsible for the importation of 2.5kg of cocaine and 1kg of meth, and was found to have $63,450 hidden in a PVC pipe in his home. Galicia Romero, 27, was born in Colombia, and a report prepared for the court said that he grew up in the context of crime, violence and the idea that people could only succeed and get out of poverty through illegal activities. Another report said that when he was in his late teens, his father encouraged him to get to know older men involved in criminal activities, because they had money and status. Operation Bali officers discovered 6.1kg of meth hidden in the base plate of a roading compactor. Photo / NZ Police Galicia Romero joined his mother and two brothers in New Zealand under a family resettlement programme. He has previous convictions and has struggled with addiction to cocaine and alcohol. He faces possible deportation after finishing his sentence, and thus separation from his New Zealand-born son. $299,000 found in storage locker Vargaz Gonzalez was involved in importing the lion's share of the syndicate's drugs – 15.2kg of methamphetamine and 2.5kg of cocaine. Police found $299,000 hidden in a storage locker he had access to. He also directed his then partner, Petersen, to provide addresses where drug consignments could be delivered. These were sent to fictitious people, including 'Teresa Hendricks'. Teresa is Petersen's middle name, and Hendricks is her mother's maiden name. Petersen is a former psychology student who, according to court documents, is at risk of being trapped in a lifestyle of dancing in nightclubs, vulnerable to drug and alcohol use and predatory men. She applied for a discharge without conviction and name suppression, and was unsuccessful on both counts. Detective Senior Sergeant Collett said offshore drug suppliers were using increasingly sophisticated methods to conceal drugs coming into the country. In many cases, even the recipients don't know how the consignments will arrive and in what form until they receive the goods. Wristweights containing methamphetamine were seized by Customs during Operation Bali. Photo / NZ Customs Wastewater analysis and increased seizures show that cocaine use in New Zealand is on the rise. The national drugs in wastewater testing programme estimated that in the first quarter of 2025, the national consumption of the drug was 4.5kg a week. This compares with 3.3kg in the first quarter of last year. Ric Stevens spent many years working for the former New Zealand Press Association news agency, including as a political reporter at Parliament, before holding senior positions at various daily newspapers. He joined NZME's Open Justice team in 2022 and is based in Hawke's Bay. His writing in the crime and justice sphere is informed by four years of frontline experience as a probation officer.


Scoop
12-07-2025
- Scoop
Trusted Porirua Rangatahi Programme Expanded As Part Of National ROCC Initiative
Porirua Whānau Centre is proud to be part of the Government's new Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) work programme, launched in Porirua last week. As a trusted community provider with deep relationships in the region, the Whānau Centre is expanding its Ko Wai Au programme to support rangatahi and their whānau with tools to prevent harm from methamphetamine and organised crime. Delivered in local schools, Ko Wai Au currently focuses on violence prevention, anti-bullying, digital safety, and suicide awareness. The Whānau Centre will now incorporate new modules targeting the risks and social impacts of organised crime, particularly meth-related harm. 'Our kaimahi already have strong relationships with tamariki and rangatahi,' said Porirua Whānau Centre CEO Liz Kelly. 'They're firm but fair, and they bring real energy to the classroom. That makes a big difference when delivering tough messages to young people in a way that sticks.' The programme targets Year 5 to Year 8 students (aged 8-12), with additional one-on-one support available for those identified as needing extra help. The Whānau Centre will also wrap its broader whānau services around these students and work closely with other ROCC-aligned organisations to ensure coordinated support. Teacher feedback from the existing programme has been overwhelmingly positive. One said: 'The tutors really connect and relate well to our tamariki.' Another commented on the value of repetition in reinforcing key messages: 'They think about the consequences before they act.' Kelly said the Whānau Centre's involvement in ROCC reflects the importance of grassroots leadership. 'When solutions are driven by people who know their community, the work goes deeper. 'The trust our community has in us to create safe spaces helps deliver a strong message, and helps our young people see a future that's free from violence, addiction and exploitation.'


Scoop
03-07-2025
- Scoop
Porirua Launches Resilience To Organised Crime In Communities Work Programme (ROCC)
Porirua has officially joined the rollout of the Resilience to Organised Crime in Communities (ROCC) work programme – a collaborative, community-led initiative designed to address the social conditions that enable organised crime and to support lasting change for whanau. The launch, held at the Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua today (Thursday 3 July) brought together local and national leaders to celebrate the expansion of the programme. Associate Minister of Police, the Honourable Casey Costello formally marked the occasion alongside key partners including Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, Police, and the Greater Wellington Regional Public Service. ROCC supports communities to respond to harm in ways that are locally led, socially grounded and enduring. The programme recognises that enforcement alone is not enough – lasting impact comes from working alongside whānau, iwi, and local organisations to address the drivers of harm. Kāpiti-Mana Area Commander Inspector Renée Perkins welcomed the programme as a huge opportunity to make a difference to families and communities impacted by organised crime. 'We know that that ROCC works and what sets it apart is its commitment to coordinated, wraparound responses - that is Police, iwi, partner agencies and community working side by side. 'Enforcement is an important part of reducing harm in our communities, but we also know the reality of whānau left behind when a loved one is arrested, or imprisoned. At the heart of the ROCC community plan is building a resilient, strong, and thriving Porirua – which says to whānau, the whole system and community are here to support you through the tough times. 'ROCC can be a game changer for whānau impacted by organised crime, and for the wider Porirua community,' she said. The ROCC in Porirua team is focused on building trust, strengthening local relationships, and supporting sustainable solutions. Steve Johnson from Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira said 'The most powerful voices shaping ROCC are the voices of lived experience. People who've seen addiction tear through their whanau. Who've watched their children fall into harm. Who've fought their way back from darkness. 'The people who know what works are the ones who've walked the path. That's why lived experience isn't just included in ROCC. Its centred,' he said. The ROCC Work Programme in Porirua has four key focus areas which have been identified as priorities by the local community: • Addressing the social drivers and harms associated with methamphetamine use. • Preventing intergenerational harm by disrupting pathways into organised crime. • Persons impacted by methamphetamine and its associated harms. • Rangatahi (youth) on the pathway into organised crime (and their families) Associate Minister of Police Hon Casey Costello said: 'The coalition government is strongly focused on law and order and making our communities safer. We are committed to developing a sustainable funding model for ROCC so that communities are supported to develop responses to organised crime that work for them.' She pointed to ROCC's clear value, in Tauranga and Opotiki where, where ROCC teams helped local communities after enforcement activity targeted gangs and meth supply – pairing law enforcement with on-the-ground social support. Porirua's approach exemplifies the wider ROCC kaupapa: community-led, regionally supported and nationally enabled. It centres community voices and leadership, especially those with lived experience, while building trusted partnerships across agencies. The Porirua event was an opportunity to reflect the Porirua community's perseverance towards long-term, sustainable change and will be embedded in community, led with manaakitanga, and focused on connection and celebration. Porirua Community representative Tania Carr says Porirua has never waited to be told what to do—we lead from within. This kaupapa reflects that. It's grounded in our people, our history, and our belief that real change happens when community leads and agencies walk alongside. A central feature of the launch, was the unveiling of a powerful mural, co-designed by local rangatahi and a Porirua based artist. The mural represents resilience, whakapapa, and the strength of the community in the face of adversity. It stands as a visual reminder of the kaupapa behind ROCC – that lasting change is rooted in connection, identity, and hope for the future. The event also celebrated the community's vision for its rangatahi with a dedicated youth event following the formalities offered a safe, fun environment during the school holidays. The space was designed in response to recent school holiday periods that saw over $70,000 in damage across schools in Porirua – a stark reminder of the need for positive outlets for young people. 'Sports give rangatahi more than just something to do – it gives them a team, a purpose and a reason to stay on the right track' says Steve Johnson. This kind of prevention-focused, community designed solution is exactly what ROCC exists to support. The programme is about responding to harm – but also about creating space for hope, healing, and change.