BIKER NEWS: New Zealand branch of the Rebels motorcycle gang have more than 200 criminal convictions between them and have spent nearly 170 years in jail.

BN- Members and prospects of the recently formed New Zealand branch of the Rebels motorcycle gang have more than 200 criminal convictions between them and have spent nearly 170 years in jail.

Police intelligence has identified 17 patched members of Australia's largest gang here in New Zealand, with nearly 100 convictions for serious drug and violence offences between them.

Prison sentences for those patched members total 77 years, a figure topped by the 90 years of jail time for a further 14 identified Rebel prospects or associates.

Detective Superintendent Brett Kane, of the Organised and Financial Crime Agency, released the information yesterday after a major police operation arrested 30 people accused of running a methamphetamine ring across the North Island.

Vehicles were seized during the armed raids in Manawatu, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Northland, as well as $120,000 cash, drugs, guns and gang patches. Four Rebels were arrested in Operation Stamp as the police target the expansion of the major Australian criminal group before it gets a foothold here.