Killa Beez (gang)
| Founded | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Founded by | Josh Masters |
| Founding location | Otara |
| Years active | 2003-present |
| Territory | Otara |
| Ethnicity | predominantly Māori, Polynesian and European |
| Allies | "Tribesmen", Crips, "Bad Troublesome Ward"[1] |
| Rivals | Bloods,[2] Mongrel Mob |
The Killer Beez (Killa Bees) are a large Maori street gang based in New Zealand, mainly based in the South Auckland area. They were founded in 2003, as a large rogue street gang in Otara,[3] as a spin-off of the larger "Tribesmen" gang.
The Killer Beez were formerly headed by Josh Masters,a well-known Kickboxer, also a former vice-president of the Tribesmen. Masters was one of 42 people from both gangs arrested in a police sting in May 2008. In total 60 Killer Beez were arrested an operation[4] which involved 110,000 intercepted messages.[5] Charges included supplying methamphetamine, conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and money laundering. Masters pleaded guilty but fought to have that overturned,[6][7] but failed.[8]
On 3 August 2012 Masters was sentenced to 10 years and 5 months in prison for organizing drug deals after police intercepted thousands of his coded phone conversations.[9]
There are currently 138 members in prison,[10] and hundreds of associates.
Killer Beez music & Colourway Records
The Killer Beez controlled the record label Colourway Records[11] until all its assets were seized in 2008.[12]
Killer Beez and Colourway records has released several big titles, some of which include Young Sid and Gravity (Josh Masters).
See also
References
- ↑ https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=bad+troublesome+ward&oq=bad+troublesome+ward&aqs=chrome..69i57.4254j0j1&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8
- ↑ https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=moerewa+raids&oq=moerewa+raids&aqs=chrome..69i57.2111j0j1&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#q=killer+beez+gang
- ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/273458/Killer-Beez-diss-stings-Dawn-Raid
- ↑ Laxon, Andrew (2 July 2011). "Out in force on the mean streets". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
But in 2008 police smashed both gangs wide open with a six-month cannabis and methamphetamine sting operation that arrested 60 Killer Beez members and put many of the gang's leaders in jail.
- ↑ Stickley, Tony (2011). "Police bugs track 110,000 gang messages". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
Police intercepted more than 110,000 phone and text messages between the Killer Beez and Tribesmen gang members during a major three-month drug operation in South Auckland and the Waikato.
- ↑ "Gang boss badly beaten in prison". stuff.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
- ↑ Gay, Edward (28 September 2011). "Killer Beez boss seeks to have guilty plea revoked". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
- ↑ "Josh Masters runs Killer Beez gang from prison". stuff.co.nz. 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ↑ "Killer Beez gang founder jailed for more than 10 years". The New Zealand Herald. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ↑ http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/8773381/LA-style-gangs-fuel-problems-in-NZ-prisons
- ↑ "New Zealand Parliament - Crimes Amendment Bill, Local Government Amendment Bill, Sentencing Amendment Bill (No 3) — Third Readings". parliament.nz. 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
I ask members to consider a gang called the Killer Beez. It has its own hip-hop record label called Colourway Records. What does it do? It makes music videos—recruitment advertisements for gangs, thinly disguised as music videos, that are played on mainstream
- ↑ "44 in dock after drug raids". nzherald.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
During the operation, police seized $200,000 in cash, 538g of pure methamphetamine with a street value of more than $500,000, nearly 400g of cannabis, 15 vehicles under the Proceeds of Crimes Act, 12 firearms and all the assets from the business premises of Colourway Records in Otara.