Mongrel Mob members stop traffic and frighten motorists as they farewell former Christchurch boss

Mongrel Mob members and affiliates stopped traffic as they farewelled former boss Chad Puru in Christchurch, forcing some motorists to pull over and leaving people scared for their safety.

Police increased their presence in the city for the tangi on Wednesday, which included a procession of vehicles and motorbikes.

Puru’s body was found last Tuesday in a burnt-out car in a paddock on a rural no-exit road about 10km inland from Amberley in North Canterbury.

Police said on Monday the 55-year-old’s death was not considered suspicious and would be referred to the coroner to rule on the cause of death.

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Did you see the Christchurch procession? Email your photos and videos to reporters@press.co.nz.

A procession of up to 30 vehicles and motorbikes, with gang members inside, was seen on Gloucester St in Linwood about 9.40am on Wednesday.

It also went through other parts of the city, with gang members seen leaning out of windows and hanging off the back of utes.

Police vehicles followed the procession.

A Christchurch social worker said she was driving on Bealey Ave when she heard a rumbling noise from behind, before a number of motorbikes passed her and took over the road.

The woman said she was forced to pull over.

“They took over the road and were going so fast. It was like they owned Bealey Ave. I did not feel safe. I actually felt quite angry, because they had no regard for anyone else.”

Another woman was forced to stop at traffic lights at the junction of Manchester St and Bealey Ave as motorbikes drove through red lights.

“It was very intimidating, particularly as they came very close to the car and I had a friend and two young children with me.

“I can’t understand why they are allowed to break laws with no repercussions. I saw bikers without helmets, red lights being run, no seat belts on, with people hanging out of windows and all sorts of intimidating behaviour – yet nothing done.

“The public shouldn’t just be allowed to be intimidated like that.”

One woman, who came across the procession twice on her way home from work at 9.15am, said up to 20 motorbikes stopped traffic at the Moorhouse Ave/Barbadoes St intersection to let a procession of vehicles through.

She saw patched gang members hanging out of vehicle windows and some sitting on the back of a ute holding what she thought was a casket.

“I didn’t know what was going on. I felt quite intimidated by it and afterwards I felt a little bit shaky.”

Following the tangi, Senior Sergeant Stephen McDaniel said officers had been on hand to ensure public safety and that police wanted to thank people for their “patience”.

“Police are making inquiries to identify any offences committed during the procession.”

Last year police launched Operation Cobalt, a major nationwide crackdown on gangs.

It has seen the arrest of dozens of members, many on drugs and weapons charges.

Puru resigned from his role as president of the Mongrel Mob’s Christchurch chapter more than 20 years ago after being charged with raping a 13-year-old girl.

He denied raping the young teenager in 1999 and the resulting trial ended in a hung jury. However, the charges levelled at Puru, then 33, created tensions within the gang, where underage sex is forbidden, and he quit as president.

It is understood he remained affiliated with the gang.

Last month, there was a large Mongrel Mob in Auckland presence for the funeral of gang boss Daniel Eliu, 46, who was shot dead in a targeted attack outside the Papatoetoe Seventh-Day Adventist Community Church on December 17. Police said there were “no significant issues” at that funeral.