Head Hunters Motorcycle Club

Last updated

Head Hunters Motorcycle Club
HeadHuntersMCLogo.jpg
Founded1967
Founding locationAuckland
Years active1967–present
Territory National presence
Membership (est.)275 (2016) [1]
Criminal activities drug dealing, theft, murder, money laundering
Allies Hells Angels MC, Nomads, Filthy Few,
Rivals King Cobras

The Head Hunters Motorcycle Club are an outlaw motorcycle club in New Zealand. They are found all around the North Island, but are mainly based in East Auckland, with its headquarters being located in Ellerslie. [2] They also have chapters in West Auckland, Wellsford, Northland and Wellington. [3] They have a long criminal history, with more than 1000 notable criminal convictions. [4] [5]

Contents

History

The Head Hunters were formed as a large multi-ethnic street gang in 1967, in the East Auckland suburb of Glen Innes. They later relocated to West Auckland, and evolved into an outlaw motorcycle club in 1985. They became a legally incorporated society in 1996. [4] In the 20th century the gang developed a reputation for violence and restricted its membership, having fewer than 30 patched members and considering themselves an elite gang. [4]

Detective Sergeant Craig Martin Turley said in 2000, "The Head Hunters Motorcycle Club is considered one of the most dangerous organised criminal operations in the country. It controls the West Auckland crime scene... ...They are responsible for the manufacture, sale and distribution of Class A, B and C controlled substances, with deals taking place throughout the country... ...The organised theft, receiving and distribution of stolen property has a value, over the years, in the millions... ...The murders, serious assaults and suspicious disappearances are also cause for considerable alarm. The extortions, home invasions and robberies are ongoing." [4]

The Head Hunters "patched over" the Wellington-based Sinn Fein MC in 2011, the Satan's Slaves MC in 2014 and the Epitaph Riders of Christchurch. [6] The Satan's Slaves gang had been formed in Wellington in 1969. [7]

Organisation

The Head Hunters are an organised crime group, using companies, societies, and trusts to shroud their operations and cash flow in secrecy. The gang has a single strategy: remain limited in members, report all to the central headquarters in Ellerslie, and expand nationally. While the Head Hunters' main rivals are loosely connected gangs with no centralised national body, the Head Hunters legally incorporated a national body with the Societies Office in 1996, the Head Hunters Motorcycle Club Incorporated. [8] [9]

They are allies of the Hells Angels, the Filthy Few, and the Nomads. [10] The organisation has "patched over" smaller regional gangs, allowing them to become Head Hunters, providing they adhere to the business model. [9] The reach of the Head Hunters is multinational, with links to the Asian organised crime syndicates well known by the New Zealand Police. These connections are the main connection for the Head Hunters acquiring their supplies for their methamphetamine operations [9]

Members and chapters

Notable members

Chapters

Criminal activity and incidents

Business ventures

The Head Hunters commonly use the purchase of legitimate businesses in order to cover, and launder, for drug and extortion work undertaken by the gang. [4] Allegations of money laundering are yet to proven in a New Zealand court of law.

The 'HEAD HUNTERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INCORPORATED' (Society No: 829572) was incorporated as an incorporated society in New Zealand on 5 December 1996. [8]

Assets

The 2017 Financial Statements, of the incorporated portion of the organisation, lodged with the New Zealand Societies Office stated the total assets to be $106,630. The assets listed included a property, 7 Centennial Park Road, Wellsford. A search of the property shows clear Head Hunters New Zealand imagery and symbolism. The Centennial Park property is also listed as the registered office of the society, and is a well known headquarters for the Head Hunters North chapter, located in Wellsford. [25]

The Marua Road headquarters for the East Chapter is owned by a New Zealand company, East 88 Property Holdings Ltd. The shares of the company are all held by trusts, of which all are overseen by the most senior members of the Head Hunters. (East represents the East Chapter of the gang, 88 represents the eighth letter of the alphabet, H, therefore 88 represents HH, the shortened writing of Head Hunters.) [26]

Fight clubs

Fight Club 88
The organisation is well known to own, and operate, Fight Club 88 out of their Ellerslie headquarters, 232 Marua Road. [27] [28]

The Head Hunters profit not only from the boxing training enterprise, but from the '88' merchandising that sees them sell caps, hats, t-shirts, gym bags, and sweatshirts, among others. [28]

Capital Cage Club
The Wellington Chapter previously operated a Cage Fighting training facility in Upper Hutt. The operation was run by the Head Hunters-run charitable organisation, Capital Transitions Charitable Trust Board. The Board was incorporated on 18 September 2012, with the purpose of providing a 'training facility for small, targeted groups of people, who may not otherwise have access to such facilities.' [29] It was reported in 2013 that the gym had since been closed, with all signage, equipment, and items linked to the gym being removed in February 2013. [30]

The club had been registered to an Upper Hutt address, 16 Goodshed Road, [20] and had operated by Wellington Chapter members Nathan Waka Paul Hemana, and former-Head Hunters Motorcycle Club Incorporated trustee, Philip MacFarland. [31] [20]

The charitable trust is still registered, and has not yet been struck off the register, indicating it is still actively used.

Community service

The Head Hunters East Auckland have opened their gym to the public, providing a place for the youth to get off of the streets. The gang also has placed a ban on methamphetamine use within its ranks. [32]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Jones, Nicholas (12 October 2016). "Dozens of Head Hunters wannabes turning up each month - Police Association". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  2. 1 2 Gower, Patrick (16 August 2003). "Headhunters cancel schoolgirl parties". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Boyer, Sam (15 June 2013). "Ten children found living in drug dens". Stuff News. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "How gang made millions". New Zealand Herald. 30 June 2000. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  5. ↑ Johnston, Kirsty (9 June 2013). "LA-style gangs fuel problems in NZ prisons". Stuff News. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  6. ↑ NZ street gangs are facing an influx of Australian outlaw bikers Carl Bradley, The New Zealand Herald (7 February 2019) Archived 1 December 2022 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ "Satan's Slaves (Motorcycle gang)". Satan's Slaves (Motorcycle gang) | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand.
  8. 1 2 "Number: 829572. Name: HEAD HUNTERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INCORPORATED". Societies Office. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 Kerr, Florence (22 January 2016). "Gang warfare coming soon to a town near you". Stuff News. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 "The Diary: Eclectic mourner mix salutes Connor Morris". New Zealand Herald. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Savage, Jared (26 November 2010). "Gang members grieve for powerful, feared underworld leader". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  12. 1 2 Ensor, Blair (26 January 2016). "Underworld figure helps set up Head Hunters' gang pad in Christchurch". Stuff . Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  13. ↑ Savage, Jared (2 April 2017). "The grandfathers of crime: William Hines and Peter Francis Atkinson face jail on drug bust". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  14. ↑ "WILLIAM HINES". Sensible Sentencing Trust. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  15. 1 2 Savage, Jared (8 August 2016). "Guns and cash linked to Head Hunter". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Ensor, Blair (20 October 2017). "Police freeze Head Hunters' Christchurch assets". Stuff News. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  17. 1 2 Gower, Patrick (14 March 2002). "Thanks jury, says Headhunter". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  18. 1 2 Gower, Patrick (24 August 2001). "Gang feud mediated from prison". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  19. ↑ Gower, Patrick (17 May 2003). "Police tapes lift the lid on Auckland's drugs underworld". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  20. 1 2 3 Ensor, Blair (25 January 2013). "Violent clashes as gang flexes muscle in Upper Hutt". Stuff News. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  21. ↑ "Connor Morris farewelled at Head Hunters gang pad". NewsHub. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  22. ↑ Conchie, Sandra (14 March 2017). "Head Hunter gang member jailed seven years for 'reign of terror' of former partner". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  23. ↑ "11 aressted in major operation targeting organized crime". New Zealand Police. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  24. ↑ "829572 - HEAD HUNTERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB INCORPORATED. Upload of Financial Statement for 2017". Companies Office - Societies and Trusts Online. New Zealand Companies Office. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  25. ↑ Fisher, David (27 September 2017). "The Big Read: Inside the Head Hunters". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  26. ↑ "Who are the Head Hunters?". Stuff News. 28 July 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  27. 1 2 Saunders, Bridget (31 January 2009). "Bridget Saunders: Fight night at the Headhunters' HQ". Stuff News. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  28. ↑ "Charitable Trust: 2566440 - CAPITAL TRANSITION CHARITABLE TRUST BOARD. Document: New Incorporation Other Entities. Barcode: 10061262961". New Zealand Companies Office. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  29. ↑ Ensor, Blair (8 February 2013). "Gang moves pad from warehouse". Stuff News. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  30. ↑ "PARTICULARS OF OFFICERS/TRUSTEES". Societies Office. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  31. ↑ Gilbert, Jarrod (28 December 2014). "Gang members come of age". Stuff News. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
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