The two people were arrested and charged as part of Operation Cobalt, a national crackdown on gangs.
Police have arrested and charged two men as part of a national crackdown on gangs.
A 37-year-old patched Mongol gang member will appear in Christchurch District Court on Friday charged with blackmail. He is alleged to have threatened to burn a person’s property down in order to obtain thousands of dollars.
A 36-year-old man will appear in the Christchurch District Court on August 23 charged with blackmail, offering to supply class A and B controlled drugs and conspiracy to commit burglary.
Police said the man was a patched member of the Mongols at the time of the alleged blackmail.
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The arrests and charges were part of Operation Cobalt, a nationwide gangs crackdown.
Police allege that on multiple occasions between May and June 2022, the offender made threats towards the victim’s partner and young children.
The threats enabled the man to obtain tens of thousands of dollars from the victim.
Police believe others were involved in this offending and are continuing their investigation.
Detective Inspector Scott Anderson called on people to tell police if they are being blackmailed.
“Sometimes people find themselves feeling vulnerable or compromised for a variety of reasons,’’ he said.
“That’s when people can become victims of blackmail or extortion.
“You can trust us to deal with your complaint in a way that keeps you and your family safe.”
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