Hells Angels arrested over disappearing deer

BN- Five Hells Angels members and four associates have been arrested after allegedly "plundering'' deer from a state forest in Auckland. Police arrested the nine men after carrying out search warrants simultaneously on a number of Auckland properties after an ongoing investigation. Five of the men were members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Gang and four were associates. Members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Gang had allegedly been sneaking into Woodhill Forest in Auckland at night to shoot deer roaming the park, said Detective Inspector Grant Wormald of the Organised and Financial Crime Agency of New Zealand (OFCANZ). The accused had been going in in the middle of the night and allegedly plundering [the herd of deer] basically, he said. "The park estimates up to 60 animals have been shot in the last 12 months.'' He said the forest was a public reserve used by trampers, mountain bikers and recreational hunters and was the subject of strict safety rules. "Hunting is only allowed through a carefully managed ballot system in an area cleared of people for a short period each year. Other than that nobody should be in there at all with a firearm.'' The men had allegedly been illegally hunting without permits or firearms licenses. Seven firearms had been seized today, he said.