Airport smuggling ring smashed as 28 Brotherhood leaders charged in Operation Matata

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New Zealand Police and Customs have dealt a major blow to organised crime with the latest phase of Operation Matata, arresting eight senior members of the 28 Brotherhood Motorcycle Club, including the gang’s president. The investigation exposed a complex drug smuggling pipeline that exploited weaknesses inside Auckland Airport, leading to 170 charges against the group for large scale importation, supply, and money laundering. Since beginning in early 2025, Operation Matata has resulted in 43 arrests, 347 charges, and record drug seizures worth hundreds of millions, along with dozens of search warrants across the country.
The syndicate relied on corrupted baggage handlers to intercept unaccompanied drug laden luggage arriving from Asia, South America, and the United States. Their partnerships stretched across local gangs like the Head Hunters and Comancheros and international suppliers overseas. Police and Customs say their coordinated strike has dismantled a major arm of a transnational network and exposed how far organised crime had pushed into the airport supply chain.
While the 28 Brotherhood MC sits at the centre of the latest arrests, little is known publicly about the group. It began in the prison system and has a small presence in areas like Mangere, where it operates through strict hierarchy and neighbourhood recruitment. In a recent amendment to the Gangs Act 2024, the government officially added the 28s to the list of prohibited gangs, banning them from wearing patches or displaying insignia in public.

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