# Next steps in fight against organised crime

Date: 8 Oct 2026
Released by: Hon Casey Costello

## MediaRelease.co Summary

Agency chiefs have held the first meeting of a new Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime board meant to align the fight against organised crime. Associate Police Minister Casey Costello said fragmented agency effort is not enough against networks that cross borders. The board is intended to tighten coordination across policing and related agencies.

## Original release

The new Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime (TSOC) Chief Executive Board has met for the first time today, Associate Police Minister Casey Costello has announced. “We need better organised government to fight organised crime, and the Board will help deliver that,” Ms Costello says. “The Government has made a series of decisions to improve our response to TSOC, including appointing a Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG), and putting in place a new TSOC strategy and Action Plan. A key recommendation of the MAG was to improve governance and coordination across government and that is what the CEB will do.” Alongside the joint chairs, Customs Comptroller Christine Stevenson and Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, the CEs who will be permanent members of the CEB are: Ben King, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; Peter Mersi, Inland Revenue; Paul James, Department of Internal Affairs; and Nic Blakeley, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. “We are at a critical time in the fight against TSOC,” Ms Costello says. “New Zealand is being increasingly targeted by organised criminal groups – we are seeing this in the supply of drugs like meth and cocaine, in a wave of cannabis grow houses, and in the impacts of industrial-scale scam centres operating internationally. “These crimes involve money laundering and migrant exploitation, and they impact all of us through related violence, money disappearing out of the economy and community and personal harm from drugs. “I’ve said before, individual agencies do great work in trying to address this, but there are multiple agencies with different powers who have a role in fighting organised crime and across government we need a stronger and more cohesive response. “What the CEB provides is enhanced oversight and coordination of this work and it will provide the mechanism for focusing on system issues such as information sharing. “The public probably assumes that, for example, Customs and Police routinely share the phone numbers of gang members they are investigating, but that is not the case. In fact, in most circumstances it is not even permitted.” The CEB’s priorities will be to: - embed the TSOC Strategy and ensure delivery of the TSOC Action Plan - drive activities that support system-wide information sharing, improve collective investigative practice, and facilitate strategic investment - identify legislative opportunities to combat TSOC - sustain and strengthen ROCC - review existing governance and support structures including opportunities for increased effectiveness and efficiencies across agencies and the TSOC system. “The Board’s initial focus will be on driving the system response to organised crime and operational cohesion, particularly around money flows and the profitability of TSOC groups, and the CEB membership was determined on that basis,” Ms Costello says. Other Chief Executives will be invited to meet with the CEB and provide expertise and leadership on specific issues.

## Key details

- Author/spokesperson: Hon Casey Costello
- Published: 8 Oct 2026
- Publisher country: New Zealand
- Subject country/region: New Zealand
- Original source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/next-steps-fight-against-organised-crime
- MediaRelease.co URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01503-next-steps-in-fight-against-organised-crime-08102026.html

Original source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/next-steps-fight-against-organised-crime
MediaRelease.co canonical URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01503-next-steps-in-fight-against-organised-crime-08102026.html