Disruption in court as Rebels face drug charges

By Jerram Watts

There was disruption in the Palmerston District Court this morning as eight Rebels gang members appeared to face drug charges after a police raid last week.

Seven of the eight Rebels gang members who appeared in court this morning were remanded in custody.

All eight were remanded without plea until March 1 without plea and only one of the men was remanded on bail.

3 News reporter Charlotte Shipman was in court this morning and says Justice Dawson asked members in the public gallery numerous times not to communicate with the accused.

Eventually, one member in the gallery was removed from the courtroom for waving at her son in the dock.

Last Thursday Central District Police coordinated an operation across five policing districts in a crackdown on methamphetamine.

Thirty people were arrested and 29 vehicles, over $120,000 in cash, firearms, computers, drugs and drug precursors were seized.

In excess of 40 search warrants were executed at addresses in Palmerston North, Feilding, Levin, Foxton, Otaki, Whanganui, Murupara, Hamilton, Auckland and Northland involving over 150 police staff from Central, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Auckland and Northland.