The Parole Board imposed special conditions on his release until his sentence officially ends in May 2024. The 501 scheme is the the character section of the Australian Migration Act which allows the cancellation of visas. The president of the Comanchero Motorcycle Club has had a year knocked off his jail term. 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. File photo. Clausen also admitted being in possession of a pistol and ammunition and a pump-action shotgun and shells. More rain could further damage Central Hawke's Bay's rural roads, Comanchero gang leader Pasilika Naufahu jailed for 10 years, 'Largest ever' meth bust in NZ: Police, Customs seize 613kg of the drug, Comancheros-linked would-be drug courier jailed over failed deal, 'We have land that is build-ready': Housing minister considers temporary Hawke's Bay villages, Prolific 'pork' tag appears in Auckland 1000 times in just over one year, Immigration declines residency visa for family of much-needed Wairoa nurse, Some freight railway lines will remain closed for months due to Cyclone Gabrielle damage - KiwiRail. "Welcome to A-grade. There is lack of support for those who are returned to New Zealand by Australia under these provisions.. Video / Mike Scott. "Dad", the text says, "don't send me these," then another, "I told you to use your brain". There were four Range Rovers - with price tags of $175,000, $255,000, $218,000 and $280,000 - a $200,000 Mercedes-Benz, a Lamborghini for $285,000, and two Rolls-Royces which cost $364,000 and $595,000. Vetekina Naufahu admitted to money laundering and possessing ecstasy, and is the latest Comanchero member to be sentenced after massive police raids in 2019. When detectives told him that an audio device had been covertly installed in his hotel room on Queen St, Rahman said: Oh shit. Photo: Jason Oxenham / NZH, This gold-plated motorcycle was among the assets seized in Operation Nova. The haul was worth about $20m. He was called the Wire Guy because he laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash in wire transfers overseas. 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. He said: Youre going to start off with a nice number with two zeroes. Photo / Supplied In sentencing Daniels - who was wearing a black and gold Versace top - to four years and eight months. Naufahu, who has a statutory release date of July 2028, would be seen again by the board before the end of December 2023. Clausen is charged with conspiring to supply class B drug pseudoephedrine. The Crown produced other bugged phone calls and photographic evidence of multiple people depositing small sums of money at various banks accounts. He had strong support from his wife and sister and had also completed Saili Matagi, a rehabilitation programme tailored for inmates of Pasifika heritage. Your pseudo is worth nothing without their cash, the man says. Comancheros gang president Pasilika Naufahu has sentence reduced Catrin Owen 12:24, Oct 05 2021 RICKY WILSON/STUFF Pasilika Naufahu was jailed for his part in a drug and money laundering. But the Court of Appeal has reduced that sentence to nine years. Photo: Supplied The Court of Appeal concluded those statements were admissible to prove Naufahu was participating in the conspiracy. At the sentencing on Friday, Crown prosecutor David Johnstone said the defence had tried to unreasonably minimise Naufahus culpability as the leader of the criminal group. Naufahu had been a sergeant-at-arms for the Comancheros in Australia, where he had had a high level of involvement in the gang, together with his brother. At trial, the Crown said Naufahu was the source of $1m which was meant to be used to purchase pseudoephedrine, but the suppliers withdrew. Over the course of three years, more than a million dollars was deposited and withdrawn. This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald. Bullied at school, Naufahu found the way to deal with this was violence, which won the approval of his father, he said. You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. He had admitted participating in an organised criminal group and nine money laundering charges which came from purchasing a swag of expensive vehicles. 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. "Another Comanchero chapter opened up. 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. READ MORE: * Comancheros gang president Pasilika Naufahu jailed for 10 years * Comancheros: Man who bought car for gang vice-president gets community detention * Comancheros: Gang president found guilty of money laundering and drugs charges. Im going to land it between you and me [Ill give you] all the f***en work you can handle. The five were arrestedfollowing a series of raidsacross Auckland in April 2019 which saw more than $3.7 million in assets seized along withluxury cars, motorcycles, luxury luggageand jewellery. Naufahu, who lived. A court has heard a Comanchero-associate drove through Auckland with a million dollars in cash to buy a methamphetamine prescursor, before the deal fell over. Operation Nova was launched in late 2018 because police were concerned about the Comancheros' connections to international organised crime figures, and the gang's immediate impact - along with other Australian outlaw motorcycle clubs - on New Zealand's criminal underworld. 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. His sentence was later reduced to nine years and three months by the Court of Appeal. Photo: Supplied, Senior Comancheros Tyson Daniels, left, and Jarome Fonua have pleaded guilty to money laundering and participating in an organised criminal group. Former ACT president of Comancheros bikie gang Peter Zdravkovic jailed over fraud, drug possession Victoria Police Police Detective Horrific Arrest Melbourne Fight South Possible explosives found in Narre Warren after two Comanchero bikies arrested Melbourne Restaurants Fire Inside Concert Concerts Bikies arrested after Melbourne shootout 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 gang member played a crucial role overseeing the gang's operations for significant personal gain. Aged between 18 and 24, all are members of the Comancheros gang, said Det. Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read. 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. Two days before Christmas, December 23, 2018, Rahman left New Zealand but not before receiving a backpack full of cash. Naufahu eventually found comradeship with gangs in Sydney and the Comancheros before being deported to New Zealand. Intercepted communications from September 20, 2018, from an audio device fitted in a vehicle were played to the jury on Thursday. His wife and a number of supporters were present in court for Naufahu's sentencing on Friday. Australian hairdresserHe Sha was jailed earlier this yearafter he admitted crossing the Tasman to sell pseudoephedrine. When brought in for questioning by police, Rahman claimed to be in New Zealand on holiday. Earlier this month Naufahu admitted participating in an organised criminal group, four charges of money laundering and being in possession of ammunition. He is capable. Mick Hawi was a former Comanchero MC President. Pasilika Naufahu was jailed for his part in a drug and money laundering scheme. The Court of Appeal was satisfied the connection between the erosion of Naufahus Tongan cultural values and his offending. 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. However, that is a consequence of your decisions.. 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. The hairdresser, He Sha, was jailed in 2020 after he admitted crossing the Tasman to sell pseudoephedrine in a failed deal. He is charismatic.". He was also found guilty, alongside patched Comanchero Connor Clausen, of conspiring to supply the Class B drug pseudoephedrine in September 2018. Mansfield said Naufahu has never shied away from admitting to being the president of the New Zealand chapter of the Comanchero gang. We believe this corresponds with a fair use of any such copyrighted material (referenced and provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law). 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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. Three days later, Rahman's son checked into the same hotel and was seen meeting with another man, a 19-year-old Mexican national, who also cannot be identified for legal reasons. Despite this, Simpson was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison. There was nearly 5kg of methamphetamine inside. More than 80 police officers were involved in the raids, which led to about $4 million of assets being seized, including firearms and several luxury vehicles such as a Rolls-Royce Wraith and gold-plated Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Later that day, the man yells at Sha that he is wasting time and is going to blow the deal. "You were the president of the Comancheros" and as such were in a position of influence, Justice Lang said to Naufahu. We respect every Motorcycle Club that adheres to proper MC protocol. The brother of the Comanchero gang president has been jailed after moving to New Zealand to help his deported sibling. At trial, Naufahu was found guilty of two charges of money laundering in relation to the purchase of a Bentley and a Ford Ranger. Daniels was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison, later extended by three months for punching another inmate. 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. The gang was joined by others whose skills and attributes helped the flow of financial rewards, the court heard. Since then, however, Daniels has been a model prisoner. For Daniels alone, there were four Range Rovers with price tags of $175,000, $255,000, $218,000 and $280,000 a $200,000 Mercedes-Benz, a Lamborghini for $285,000, and two Rolls-Royces, which cost $364,000 and $595,000. You clearly knew the money was derived from significant importation of drugs.. Simpson was reckless and brought the legal profession into disrepute, however, the judge was satisfied he was genuine in his remorse. 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. The Australian underworld was left shocked by the high-profile switch, which one source told News.com.au shows that the Comacheros do "what they want, when they want". 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. Meet the heavily tattooed underworld boss who has taken over as president of Australia's most powerful bikie gang the Comancheros. 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. But months later those colours had run and Jesse Vella had joined the Rebels' rivals the Comancheros. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. 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 A number of trusts were set up and various bank accounts were used to launder money to then purchase luxury cars and property. 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. The trial is set down for four weeks in front of Justice Graham Lang and a jury. Around the same time, a consignment of a kitchen stovetops shipped from the United States had been seized by Customs and examined. "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.". Video / NZ Herald. More than $4 million worth of assets were seized. 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. On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal denied Naufahus appeal over the charge of conspiring to supply pseudoephedrine. However, that is a consequence of your decisions.". Naufahu was jailed for 10 years by Justice Graham Lang in February over his role in a sophisticated money laundering and drugs scheme. He had also earlier. When brought in for questioning by police, Rahman claimed to be in New Zealand on holiday. '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. Your pseudo is worth nothing without their cash, the Court of Appeal has reduced sentence. 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