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The Mongrel Mob infiltrated a Bay of Plenty security company, a member who got a job as a security guard and provided confidential information to the gang.
The business owner says police intelligence sources told him that gangs were increasingly using such tactics to obtain inside information, placing “cleaner” members (new recruits without convictions) in companies and even government departments.
In the Bay of Plenty case, the worker, who was fired on the spot when his gang association was discovered, remains a licensed security guard; his name continues to appear in the online registry.
SUPPLIED / Supplied
The record of the Licensing Authority for Private Security Personnel shows that the man’s approval certificate is active, even after he was fired.
That is due to what the Security Association calls a “weakness” in the licensing system administered by the Ministry of Justice.
The owner of the security company, who asked not to be identified to protect his business, said the former employee, in his 20s, approached him for work last year.
“I had references, some were from Destiny Church. He had no criminal record and already had a security license. “
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The man was assigned to patrol a medical cannabis facility with which the firm had a contract. A colleague overheard him talking to someone on the phone.
“I was talking about the design of the site and what was happening there. The other worker asked who he was talking to and said it was his captain, Mongrel Mob, who happened to be from the Kingdom chapter in Waikato. “
The employer said that when it was informed of the incident, it began making inquiries.
“The police had no evidence that he was in the mafia, but our own investigations confirmed it.”
No sign of the Mongrel Mob badge on the man’s social media pages viewed by Things, but in some images he is dressed in red and black, the colors of the gang, and he is waving his hand.
The owner of the security company said he fired the man, but the police had to be called because he did not want to return the uniform. He was only at work for about a week.
Things
Gangs are increasingly infiltrating legitimate businesses, sources say.
The man said the former worker’s proximity to a medical cannabis facility was concerning.
“In Colorado, when they legalized recreational cannabis, they had a massive spike in organized crime that put heavy pressure on legitimate growers, trying to break through.”
He said he informed the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority (PSPLA), which reports to the Ministry of Justice, of the incident and warned other companies in the area.
Gary Morrison, executive director of the New Zealand Safety Association, said he was aware of “situations where employers have discovered that they have employed a gang member, what we would call a cleaner.
“It’s happened, and we’ve had a discussion with the licensing authority about it and we’ve looked at the ways that we can … address it.”
As it stands, being in a gang would not automatically lead to a person’s license being canceled, Morrison said.
“We encourage our members to provide us with those details and we are happy to file a complaint with the registrar and that could result in a hearing and withdrawal of the license.
“There is a process to address it, but I think to some extent there is a weakness in [the system]. It is a concern, especially when you have a person who does not have direct and obvious ties [to a gang] – it can be difficult to identify that. “
Bruce Findlay, the ministry’s operations manager, said the PSPLA’s role was to issue licenses and discipline licensees, but it did not have a mandate to actively monitor the behavior or character of security guards.
“The authority depends on receiving a complaint from the public, the police or other regulatory bodies for investigations to take place and to discipline licensees,” said Findlay.
Factors considered before issuing a license included criminal convictions “and whether a person’s character or behavior aligns with the purpose of the position.”
The police had the opportunity to object.
Before 2019, a complaint could only be filed against a licensee if he or she committed a crime or misconduct while on the job.
The changes in the legislation had introduced new discretionary grounds for cancellation, “if the person is no longer considered suitable due to character, circumstances or background,” Findlay said.
When asked if the police were aware of gangs infiltrating businesses, a spokesman for the national police headquarters said they were aware of a variety of methods used.
“These are specifically designed to take advantage of any opportunity to obtain valuable information for your purposes and are not exclusive to a single approach path. “
Police were unable to provide further details for “operational reasons.”
