Documents released to the Herald show the National Integrity Unit (NIU), a specialist group of senior detectives, investigated 10 cases of inappropriate links between police and organised crime figures.<\/p>\n
One of the cases, known as Operation Everest, which led to a criminal prosecution, was the discovery of the police officer living with the King Cobras member in Auckland.<\/p>\n
Another was Operation Comet.<\/p>\n
In 2023, a patched Comanchero gang member was arrested for supplying methamphetamine and other drugs throughout the Wellington region.<\/p>\n
During a search of the Comanchero\u2019s cellphone, the police found a screenshot of a Facebook message that said:<\/p>\n
\u201cSup cuz, they still tracking because of that operation I was telling u about, they seen him in [redacted] on last Tuesday drive a [redacted] and then again on Sunday up near [redacted] on Sunday and pulled him over. But besides that nothing else just always keeping a look out for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Comancheros motorcycle gang has featured regularly in corruption investigations involving police staff. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
The message was traced to a police employee who had made unauthorised searches on the National Intelligence Application (NIA) \u2013 the police computer system.<\/p>\n
An audit of the employee\u2019s NIA history showed he looked at intelligence notes about the Comanchero being stopped by police in August 2022.<\/p>\n
The police employee passed that information to an associate, who in turn shared the screenshot with the Comanchero. <\/p>\n
This sensitive information on a live operation helped the Comanchero who, simply by being aware of the investigation, was able to take countermeasures to thwart the police.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis in turn benefits the defendant and his standing with [the Comanchero],\u201d court documents say.<\/p>\n
In an interview with police, the staff member admitted passing the information to his associate, although he stated he was unaware it would end up in the hands of the Comanchero member.<\/p>\n
He pleaded guilty to accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose and was sentenced to 6 months\u2019 community detention. <\/p>\n
The employee was also granted permanent name suppression.<\/p>\n
The police released short summaries of five other investigations that did not reach the evidential threshold for prosecution.<\/p>\n
One was a police employee who was associating with an organised criminal group and allegedly trading information for drugs. <\/p>\n
Another was an employee who was in a sexual relationship with a convicted criminal and sharing NIA information. <\/p>\n
Both employees resigned during the investigation.<\/p>\n
The police declined to release information on three NIU investigations because the cases were either before the courts or going through an employment process.<\/p>\n
One of those was Shalom Vai Aleni, 23, who was working as a constable when she received a message from an old school friend.<\/p>\n
The friend\u2019s brother \u2013 an associate of the Comancheros \u2013 had been arrested after being caught with methamphetamine, cocaine and cash.<\/p>\n
Aleni made numerous searches on NIA about the friend\u2019s brother.<\/p>\n
She later discussed the sensitive information with her friend by text and Instagram message, plus phone calls.<\/p>\n
After sharing the information, Aleni asked the friend to delete their messages \u201cjust in case\u201d.<\/p>\n
She has since resigned from the police and pleaded guilty to accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose. <\/p>\n
Detective Superintendent Kylie Schaare, the director in charge of integrity and conduct, said integrity was a core value for police that demands constant attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecent investigations into leaks of sensitive information to gang members and organised criminal groups highlight the reality of insider threats,\u201d Schaare said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese actions are unacceptable and undermine the safety of our communities, our staff, and the trust that is essential for policing to be effective. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhile these cases are rare, they serve as a reminder that vigilance is not optional, it is a responsibility we all share.\u201d<\/p>\n
Summer Smith, 32, a former police constable, pleaded guilty on charges relating to leaking information to her boyfriend, who was a gang member. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
\u2018Insider threats\u2019<\/p>\n
Police revealed the existence of the 10 cases in response to questions about a rookie constable who leaked police intelligence to her gang-member boyfriend.<\/p>\n
Summer Moana Pearl Smith <\/a>joined the police in March 2022 and was posted to Auckland after completing the 20-week recruitment training course at Police College.<\/p>\n However, Smith was already in a secret relationship with a member of the Killer Beez motorcycle gang.<\/p>\n The pair had met on the Tinder dating app before she joined the police.<\/p>\n She had leaked confidential information to her gangster boyfriend, who was later arrested after a covert investigation into a 265kg drug shipment.<\/p>\n He was charged with importing methamphetamine, supplying the Class A drug and participating in an organised criminal group, and laundering more than $1 million cash.<\/p>\n As a result, the police searched his phone and uncovered the messages with Smith.<\/p>\n When confronted by NIU detectives in September 2023, Smith confessed to everything.<\/p>\n \u201cI basically fell in love with this f***en gangster dude \u2026 I fell for a guy that\u2019s just not the right person.\u201d<\/p>\n She resigned from the police and was later charged with corrupt use of official information, accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose and possession of cocaine.<\/p>\n Smith pleaded guilty in October and will be sentenced in 2026.<\/p>\n For years, law enforcement in New Zealand has warned about the growing risk <\/a>of corruption driven by organised crime.<\/p>\n