New Zealand to enforce new gang crackdown laws

Wellington, Nov 20 New Zealand's tough new gang crackdown laws will officially come into effect on Thursday, banning gang insignia and stopping criminal gang members from associating and communicating.

A raft of new laws will take effect soon, including gang insignia to be banned in all public places, and courts to be able to issue non-consorting orders, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said on Wednesday, according to Xinhua news agency.

"Gangs in our country think they're above the law and can choose which laws they comply with...We have a justice system that applies equally to everyone," Goldsmith said, adding greater weight will also be given to gang membership at sentencing, enabling courts to impose more severe punishments.

With the establishment of district gang units, police are ready to make maximum use of the new tools brought in to target disruptive gang events and enforce the new gang laws, Police Minister Mark Mitchell said.

Gang members make up less than 0.25 per cent of New Zealand's adult population but are linked to 18 per cent of all serious violent crimes, 19 per cent of all homicides and 23 per cent of all firearms offences, Mitchell said.