Rebels gang VP who used teens in drug deals was a youth worker for Oranga Tamariki-linked agency

A vice-president of a North Island gang who used teenagers to assist together with his drug offers labored for a social companies company contracted by Oranga Tamariki.

Youths have been used within the offers and have been taught
find out how to destroy proof ought to the police come, courtroom paperwork have revealed.

Mark Glassie is to be sentenced on Friday within the Rotorua District Court docket on a raft of fees following a serious police drug operation centred across the Rebels motorbike gang’s extensive scale drug dealing within the North Island.

Oranga Tamariki says it wasn’t conscious Glassie was a gang member as vetting processes have been handled on an area stage by contracted companies. Nonetheless, it says it has since tightened its protocols.

Paperwork launched to the Rotorua Each day Put up reveal Glassie was the vice-president of the gang chapter that was on the coronary heart of tens of millions of {dollars} value of methamphetamine, MDMA, LSD and hashish dealing.

Whereas Glassie was a central determine within the dealing, he additionally held down a job as a youth employee and caregiver for a social assist company. The identify of the company has been suppressed by the courtroom. The company is contracted by Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry for Kids.

Glassie’s position inside the organisation was to offer assist, mentoring and position modelling for at-risk youth.

A abstract of information stated Glassie’s employment additionally noticed him performing as a caregiver and youths have been put into his custody by Oranga Tamariki through the company. and this included them dwelling at his dwelling.

The investigation interval ran between April and October 2019.

The abstract stated Glassie took three youths on a drug deal to Auckland and so they have been used to go messages between Glassie and co-offenders. Of their automobile was 22 kilos [9.98kg] of hashish valued at $88,000.

The abstract stated they have been additionally briefed on what to do ought to the police execute a search warrant, together with destroying proof.

Glassie has pleaded responsible to 29 fees together with 10 fees of taking part in an organised felony group (5 of that are violence-related), three of conspiring to deliver a false accusation, 4 of possessing hashish for provide, 4 of conspiring to pervert the reason for justice, one in all providing to provide MDMA, one consultant cost of supplying methamphetamine, one cost of providing to provide methamphetamine, one in all supplying methamphetamine, one in all providing to provide LSD, one in all providing to provide MDMA and two of supplying LSD.

Operation Ulysses centred on the gang’s involvement in supplying methamphetamine and quite a few monitoring and surveillance gadgets have been used to maintain observe of the gang’s actions.

The operation discovered Glassie and his co-offenders supposed to build up cash, belongings and energy by means of the wholesale sale of great medication.

The abstract of information stated Glassie had beforehand appeared earlier than the courtroom.

The Rotorua Each day Put up requested a number of questions of each Oranga Tamariki and the company that employed Glassie.

Oranga Tamariki partnering for outcomes deputy chief govt Rachel Jones stated Oranga Tamariki was not conscious Glassie was a gang member and solely grew to become conscious on October 11, 2019, after his arrest.

When requested if it had any accountability of using somebody with a clear felony background, Jones stated below the Social Companies Accreditation requirements, which all suppliers have been permitted to, it was the accountability of the supplier to make sure that common vetting and background checks have been carried out for all employees.

“The Social Companies Accreditation company periodically evaluations an accredited supplier’s compliance with the requirements together with its insurance policies designed to satisfy the requirements.

“On this specific case the person’s utility was assessed by the supplier and his employment was permitted by them on the native stage.”

An inner investigation was completed the month after Glassie’s arrest and an enchancment plan was developed.

Jones stated this included suggestions the supplier modified its evaluation documentation to make sure threat assessments for all employees have been accomplished based on its employment coverage.

She confirmed the company was nonetheless contracted with Oranga Tamariki.

“Oranga Tamariki ensured that its suggestions concerning enhancements to worker evaluation documentation had been enforce by the supplier.”

The Rotorua Each day Put up approached the company that employed Glassie for remark.