The Killer Beez (Killa Bees) are a large street gang based in New Zealand, mainly based in the South Auckland area. They were founded in 2003, as a large rogue street gang in Ōtara,[2] as a spin-off of the larger "Tribesmen" gang. The Killer Beez were formerly headed by Josh Masters, a well-known kickboxer, also a former vice-president of the Tribesmen MC.[3]
In 2013, there were 138 members in prison, up from 96 in 2011.[4] Most Killer Beez inmates housed in Mt Eden Corrections Facility are housed in the Delta Unit.[5]
The Killer Beez emblem or "patch" consists of the words "Killer Beez" and "AO MOJO" that act as the surrounding rockers for their Skull Fingers Up emblem of a middle finger extended upright with a partially extended thumb. Evident in all of the gang's music videos, released on the YouTube account colourwayrecords, the gang predominantly wear black and yellow, the same colours used in their logo.
Gang Slang
Killer Beez members are commonly referred to as Killer(s) or simply as KB by those closely associated with the gang.[6]
A common phrase within the gang's music, as well as being used in its logo, is the term AO, pronounced as separate letters, which is an acronym for the gang motto, All Out.
Notable Members and Associates
Josh Masters (founder and overall Killer Beez leader)
The New Zealand Companies Office lists Colourway Records as registered from 19 February 2007 until 25 February 2014. The company was directly owned by the partner of Josh Masters, Natalie Patricia Eyles.[10] The company address listed was a well known pad for The Killer Beez Gang.[10]
The Killer Beez effectively controlled the record label Colourway Records.[11] Colourway Records was among the assets seized by the New Zealand Police in the 2008 drug raids.[12]
Colourway Records has released several titles, including "Put Ya Colourz On", which also feature Young Sid[13] and Josh Masters. They also released an album in 2008, Skull Fingers Up.[14]
Incidents
In May 2008, Josh Masters and 41 other members from both the Tribesman and The Killer Beez gangs were arrested in a police sting. In total 60 Killer Beez were arrested in an operation[15] which involved 110,000 intercepted messages.[16] Charges included supplying methamphetamine, conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and money laundering. Masters pleaded guilty and fought to have that overturned,[17][18] but failed.[19]
In June 2008, several Killer Beez members, including leader Vila Lemanu and member Christopher Shadrock, were convicted for killing Chinese businesswoman Joanne Wang, after they ran her over in a Manukau shopping mall carpark in front of her 8-year-old son.[20][7]
In November 2008, Masters received a 'jailhouse beating' for an outburst in court, leading to complications in the trials of multiple associates.[21]
On 15 May 2010, Killer Beez member Latu Kepu killed prison guard Jason Palmer with a single punch at medium-security Springhill Prison. The death has been a rumoured gang hit ordered by the Killer Beez.[20]
On 3 August 2012, Masters was sentenced to 10 years and 5 months in prison for organising drug deals after police intercepted thousands of his coded phone conversations.[22]
In September 2014, Killer Beez associate Hendrix Hauwai, 17, attacked Lucy Knight, punching her in the head after she tried to intervene in a failed bag-snatch outside a North Shore supermarket. In February 2014, Hauwai was sentenced to jail for 4 years and 9 months by North Shore District Court Judge Pippa Sinclair.[23]
In October 2016, six guards were attacked with three being injured in a premeditated attack at Auckland Prison at Paremoremo. The attack occurred on 19 October 2016 after a group of inmates in C Block at Auckland Prison attacked guards with three suffering stab wounds to their heads, necks, hands and shoulders just before 2pm. It is widely thought by inmates at Paremoremo that the attack was planned and carried out by members of the Killer Beez gang.[24]
On 4 November 2016, prominent Killer Bee, Rory William O'Neill, was fatally shot in Blockhouse Bay, two months after being released from prison. O'Neill was reported to have asked not to be released due to the Killers Beez ensuring his safety within the prison system.[25]
In October 2017, members of the Killer Beez and the 36 (Three Six) gangs were involved in a shooting, where three males in Ōtara were shot in a drive-by shooting. Although the assailants were not identified, the victims of the shooting identified them as members of the gangs.[26]
On April 26, 2019 Killer Beez head Josh Masters, a prominent gang member was shot by a member of the Tribesmen at a Harley Davidson dealership in Mount Wellington, Auckland. It was an extremely unusual event as both the Killer Beez and Tribesmen were very close gangs that were in a very strong alliance considering the Killer Beez was founded by the Tribesmen as a feeder gang for the Tribesmen.[27][28]
In May 2022, conflicts between the Tribesmen and Killer Beez led to shootings in South Auckland. Seven shootings occurred in the suburbs of Ōtara, Papatoetoe, Flat Bush, Papakura, Te Atatū, Henderson and Mt Albert on the night of the 24th, with two more on the 25th.[29][30] A week later, on the night of 3 June, another Beach Haven house belonging to a Tribesmen gang member was shot at.[31]
^Todd, Katie; Almeida, Rayssa (26 May 2022). "Long-standing Killer Beez and Tribesmen gang rivalry blamed for crime in Auckland, Far North". Radio New Zealand.
^Bradley, Michael (31 January 2009). "Killer Beez diss stings Dawn Raid". Stuff News.
^Smith, Lawrence (31 January 2009). "Gang boss badly beaten in prison". Stuff News. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^Johnston, Kirsty (9 June 2013). "LA-style gangs fuel problems in NZ prisons". Stuff News. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^Smith, Ray. "Private Business, Public Failure - Inside our Prisons". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
^Bradley, Michael (31 January 2009). "Rapper Young Sid". Sunday Star Times. Stuff News. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^ abcFox, Michael (7 October 2011). "Killer Beez boss on the run". Stuff News. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^"Police on alert ahead of Killer Beez gang member funeral in Waihi". Stuff News. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^Dennett, Kelly (13 January 2018). "Killer Beez member shot after jail release". Weekend Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^ ab"COLOURWAY RECORDS LIMITED (1903535) Removed". www.companiesoffice.govt.nz. Retrieved 2 February 2017.
^"New Zealand Parliament - Crimes Amendment Bill, Local Government Amendment Bill, Sentencing Amendment Bill (No 3) — Third Readings". parliament.nz. 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011. I ask members to consider a gang called the Killer Beez. It has its own hip-hop record label called Colourway Records. What does it do? It makes music videos—recruitment advertisements for gangs, thinly disguised as music videos, that are played on mainstream
^"44 in dock after drug raids". nzherald.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011. During the operation, police seized $200,000 in cash, 538g of pure methamphetamine with a street value of more than $500,000, nearly 400g of cannabis, 15 vehicles under the Proceeds of Crimes Act, 12 firearms and all the assets from the business premises of Colourway Records in Otara.
^"Top Kiwi rapper works 9 to 5 to pay the bills". Stuff.co.nz. Sunday News. 17 January 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
^"Killer Beez a 'school for gangstas'". Stuff.co.nz. 13 September 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
^Laxon, Andrew (2 July 2011). "Out in force on the mean streets". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2011. But in 2008 police smashed both gangs wide open with a six-month cannabis and methamphetamine sting operation that arrested 60 Killer Beez members and put many of the gang's leaders in jail.
^Stickley, Tony (2011). "Police bugs track 110,000 gang messages". nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 8 October 2011. Police intercepted more than 110,000 phone and text messages between the Killer Beez and Tribesmen gang members during a major three-month drug operation in South Auckland and the Waikato.
^"Gang boss badly beaten in prison". stuff.co.nz. 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
^Gay, Edward (28 September 2011). "Killer Beez boss seeks to have guilty plea revoked". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
^"Josh Masters runs Killer Beez gang from prison". stuff.co.nz. 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
^ abCowlishaw, Shane (23 August 2016). "Killer Beez president Josh Masters allegedly running gang from behind bars". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
^Smith, Lawrence (22 November 2008). "Gang boss badly beaten in prison". Sunday News. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
^"Killer Beez gang founder jailed for more than 10 years". The New Zealand Herald. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
^Field, Michael (9 February 2015). "Hendrix Hauwai jailed for attack on good samaritan". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
^Leask, Anna (21 October 2016). "Six, not three guards injured in Paremoremo prison attack". News Talk ZB. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
^Dennett, Kelly (13 January 2018). "Homicide victim released from prison just months before death". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^Harris, Sarah (6 October 2017). "'There was too much blood': Drive-by shooting victim recounts horror". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
^"Man critically wounded at Auckland Harley Davidson store believed to be Killer Beez gang president". TVNZ. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
^"Gang expert: Concern as tension rises between Killer Beez and Tribesmen". NZ Herald. 28 April 2019. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
^"Auckland shootings: Gang-related attacks 'shocking' - Phil Goff". RNZ. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
^"Auckland shootings: Police investigate shots fired in two suburbs". RNZ. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
^"Auckland house shot at belongs to Tribesmen gang members - neighbour". 1 News. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
January 06, 2023
killer, beez, this, article, about, zealand, street, gang, tang, killa, beez, list, tang, clan, affiliates, killa, bees, large, street, gang, based, zealand, mainly, based, south, auckland, area, they, were, founded, 2003, large, rogue, street, gang, Ōtara, sp. This article is about a New Zealand street gang For the Wu Tang Killa Beez see List of Wu Tang Clan affiliates The Killer Beez Killa Bees are a large street gang based in New Zealand mainly based in the South Auckland area They were founded in 2003 as a large rogue street gang in Ōtara 2 as a spin off of the larger Tribesmen gang The Killer Beez were formerly headed by Josh Masters a well known kickboxer also a former vice president of the Tribesmen MC 3 Killer BeezFounded2003Founded byJosh MastersFounding locationŌtaraYears active2003 presentTerritoryŌtaraEthnicitypredominantly Maori Polynesian and European citation needed Criminal activitiesDrug manufacturing drug sales aggravated robbery assassination fraud and money laundering AlliesBlack Power Crips BTW Bad Troublesome Ward RivalsBloods Mongrel Mob Tribesmen 1 In 2013 there were 138 members in prison up from 96 in 2011 4 Most Killer Beez inmates housed in Mt Eden Corrections Facility are housed in the Delta Unit 5 Contents 1 Insignia and Slang 1 1 Insignia 1 2 Gang Slang 2 Notable Members and Associates 3 Colourway Records 4 Incidents 5 See also 6 ReferencesInsignia and Slang EditInsignia Edit The Killer Beez emblem or patch consists of the words Killer Beez and AO MOJO that act as the surrounding rockers for their Skull Fingers Up emblem of a middle finger extended upright with a partially extended thumb Evident in all of the gang s music videos released on the YouTube account colourwayrecords the gang predominantly wear black and yellow the same colours used in their logo Gang Slang Edit Killer Beez members are commonly referred to as Killer s or simply as KB by those closely associated with the gang 6 A common phrase within the gang s music as well as being used in its logo is the term AO pronounced as separate letters which is an acronym for the gang motto All Out Notable Members and Associates EditJosh Masters founder and overall Killer Beez leader Vila Lemanu high ranking chapter leader 7 Rory O Neill member 8 9 Christopher Shadrock member 7 Colourway Records EditThe New Zealand Companies Office lists Colourway Records as registered from 19 February 2007 until 25 February 2014 The company was directly owned by the partner of Josh Masters Natalie Patricia Eyles 10 The company address listed was a well known pad for The Killer Beez Gang 10 The Killer Beez effectively controlled the record label Colourway Records 11 Colourway Records was among the assets seized by the New Zealand Police in the 2008 drug raids 12 Colourway Records has released several titles including Put Ya Colourz On which also feature Young Sid 13 and Josh Masters They also released an album in 2008 Skull Fingers Up 14 Incidents EditIn May 2008 Josh Masters and 41 other members from both the Tribesman and The Killer Beez gangs were arrested in a police sting In total 60 Killer Beez were arrested in an operation 15 which involved 110 000 intercepted messages 16 Charges included supplying methamphetamine conspiracy to supply methamphetamine and money laundering Masters pleaded guilty and fought to have that overturned 17 18 but failed 19 In June 2008 several Killer Beez members including leader Vila Lemanu and member Christopher Shadrock were convicted for killing Chinese businesswoman Joanne Wang after they ran her over in a Manukau shopping mall carpark in front of her 8 year old son 20 7 In November 2008 Masters received a jailhouse beating for an outburst in court leading to complications in the trials of multiple associates 21 On 15 May 2010 Killer Beez member Latu Kepu killed prison guard Jason Palmer with a single punch at medium security Springhill Prison The death has been a rumoured gang hit ordered by the Killer Beez 20 On 3 August 2012 Masters was sentenced to 10 years and 5 months in prison for organising drug deals after police intercepted thousands of his coded phone conversations 22 In September 2014 Killer Beez associate Hendrix Hauwai 17 attacked Lucy Knight punching her in the head after she tried to intervene in a failed bag snatch outside a North Shore supermarket In February 2014 Hauwai was sentenced to jail for 4 years and 9 months by North Shore District Court Judge Pippa Sinclair 23 In October 2016 six guards were attacked with three being injured in a premeditated attack at Auckland Prison at Paremoremo The attack occurred on 19 October 2016 after a group of inmates in C Block at Auckland Prison attacked guards with three suffering stab wounds to their heads necks hands and shoulders just before 2pm It is widely thought by inmates at Paremoremo that the attack was planned and carried out by members of the Killer Beez gang 24 On 4 November 2016 prominent Killer Bee Rory William O Neill was fatally shot in Blockhouse Bay two months after being released from prison O Neill was reported to have asked not to be released due to the Killers Beez ensuring his safety within the prison system 25 In October 2017 members of the Killer Beez and the 36 Three Six gangs were involved in a shooting where three males in Ōtara were shot in a drive by shooting Although the assailants were not identified the victims of the shooting identified them as members of the gangs 26 On April 26 2019 Killer Beez head Josh Masters a prominent gang member was shot by a member of the Tribesmen at a Harley Davidson dealership in Mount Wellington Auckland It was an extremely unusual event as both the Killer Beez and Tribesmen were very close gangs that were in a very strong alliance considering the Killer Beez was founded by the Tribesmen as a feeder gang for the Tribesmen 27 28 In May 2022 conflicts between the Tribesmen and Killer Beez led to shootings in South Auckland Seven shootings occurred in the suburbs of Ōtara Papatoetoe Flat Bush Papakura Te Atatu Henderson and Mt Albert on the night of the 24th with two more on the 25th 29 30 A week later on the night of 3 June another Beach Haven house belonging to a Tribesmen gang member was shot at 31 See also Edit New Zealand portalGangs in New Zealand Black Power New Zealand Mongrel Mob King Cobras gang References Edit Todd Katie Almeida Rayssa 26 May 2022 Long standing Killer Beez and Tribesmen gang rivalry blamed for crime in Auckland Far North Radio New Zealand Bradley Michael 31 January 2009 Killer Beez diss stings Dawn Raid Stuff News Smith Lawrence 31 January 2009 Gang boss badly beaten in prison Stuff News Retrieved 30 January 2018 Johnston Kirsty 9 June 2013 LA style gangs fuel problems in NZ prisons Stuff News Retrieved 30 January 2018 Smith Ray Private Business Public Failure Inside our Prisons Stuff co nz Retrieved 22 February 2017 Bradley Michael 31 January 2009 Rapper Young Sid Sunday Star Times Stuff News Retrieved 30 January 2018 a b c Fox Michael 7 October 2011 Killer Beez boss on the run Stuff News Retrieved 30 January 2018 Police on alert ahead of Killer Beez gang member funeral in Waihi Stuff News 9 November 2017 Retrieved 30 January 2018 Dennett Kelly 13 January 2018 Killer Beez member shot after jail release Weekend Herald Retrieved 30 January 2018 a b COLOURWAY RECORDS LIMITED 1903535 Removed www companiesoffice govt nz Retrieved 2 February 2017 New Zealand Parliament Crimes Amendment Bill Local Government Amendment Bill Sentencing Amendment Bill No 3 Third Readings parliament nz 2011 Retrieved 8 October 2011 I ask members to consider a gang called the Killer Beez It has its own hip hop record label called Colourway Records What does it do It makes music videos recruitment advertisements for gangs thinly disguised as music videos that are played on mainstream 44 in dock after drug raids nzherald co nz 2011 Retrieved 8 October 2011 During the operation police seized 200 000 in cash 538g of pure methamphetamine with a street value of more than 500 000 nearly 400g of cannabis 15 vehicles under the Proceeds of Crimes Act 12 firearms and all the assets from the business premises of Colourway Records in Otara Top Kiwi rapper works 9 to 5 to pay the bills Stuff co nz Sunday News 17 January 2009 Retrieved 20 February 2017 Killer Beez a school for gangstas Stuff co nz 13 September 2009 Retrieved 20 February 2017 Laxon Andrew 2 July 2011 Out in force on the mean streets nzherald co nz Retrieved 8 October 2011 But in 2008 police smashed both gangs wide open with a six month cannabis and methamphetamine sting operation that arrested 60 Killer Beez members and put many of the gang s leaders in jail Stickley Tony 2011 Police bugs track 110 000 gang messages nzherald co nz Retrieved 8 October 2011 Police intercepted more than 110 000 phone and text messages between the Killer Beez and Tribesmen gang members during a major three month drug operation in South Auckland and the Waikato Gang boss badly beaten in prison stuff co nz 2011 Retrieved 8 October 2011 Gay Edward 28 September 2011 Killer Beez boss seeks to have guilty plea revoked The New Zealand Herald Retrieved 8 October 2011 Josh Masters runs Killer Beez gang from prison stuff co nz 2015 Retrieved 11 August 2015 a b Cowlishaw Shane 23 August 2016 Killer Beez president Josh Masters allegedly running gang from behind bars Stuff co nz Retrieved 20 February 2017 Smith Lawrence 22 November 2008 Gang boss badly beaten in prison Sunday News Retrieved 22 February 2017 Killer Beez gang founder jailed for more than 10 years The New Zealand Herald 3 August 2012 Retrieved 2 October 2012 Field Michael 9 February 2015 Hendrix Hauwai jailed for attack on good samaritan Stuff co nz Retrieved 20 February 2017 Leask Anna 21 October 2016 Six not three guards injured in Paremoremo prison attack News Talk ZB Retrieved 22 February 2017 Dennett Kelly 13 January 2018 Homicide victim released from prison just months before death The New Zealand Herald Retrieved 30 January 2018 Harris Sarah 6 October 2017 There was too much blood Drive by shooting victim recounts horror The New Zealand Herald Retrieved 4 February 2018 Man critically wounded at Auckland Harley Davidson store believed to be Killer Beez gang president TVNZ Retrieved 20 April 2020 Gang expert Concern as tension rises between Killer Beez and Tribesmen NZ Herald 28 April 2019 ISSN 1170 0777 Retrieved 20 April 2020 Auckland shootings Gang related attacks shocking Phil Goff RNZ 25 May 2022 Retrieved 26 May 2022 Auckland shootings Police investigate shots fired in two suburbs RNZ 26 May 2022 Retrieved 26 May 2022 Auckland house shot at belongs to Tribesmen gang members neighbour 1 News Retrieved 4 September 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Killer Beez amp oldid 1123239832, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
