Members of organised criminal networks beware – police are coming for you.

Under the government's Safer Communities investment package announced earlier this month, police are creating new specialised taskforces that will target organised crime around the country.

The first unit will be deployed to the Western Bay of Plenty during the 2017/18 financial year, consist of 10 staff – six investigators supported by asset recovery and support staff – and represents a model which could be replicated in other areas.

Reporting to Police National Headquarters in Wellington, the Tauranga-based taskforce will help police meet a target attached to the investment package – the seizure of $400 million of assets from organised crime over four years.

'Tauranga has been chosen because of its status as New Zealand's second fastest-growing city and the connections of local criminals to networks in Auckland and Waikato, which are known to have a national reach,” Commissioner Mike Bush tells New Zealand Police's Ten One magazine.

'We've listened to our staff working in the area and have the information that this is the right location for the taskforce, with further investment in organised crime still being considered.”

The taskforce will also help small-town communities struggling with harm caused by organised crime and gangs.

Under Safer Communities extra staff will be deployed into money laundering and asset recovery teams, and two analysts will also be added to the Gang Intelligence Centre based at PNHQ.

The investment package also helps police fight organised crime overseas. An analyst will be attached to the Australian Federal Police's Gang Intelligence Centre in Canberra.

Funding has also been obtained to make permanent the constabulary position based in Guangzhou, southern China – a region which is a prime source of methamphetamine reaching Australasia and where liaison officer Detective Inspector Phil Jones is currently based.

Mike says basing liaison officers alongside local law enforcement provides the best opportunity to impact transnational crime.

'Criminal gangs in New Zealand are working with gangs and syndicates overseas and causing great harm to our communities.

'We want to be the safest country, so we intend to hold criminals to account and reduce the harm they cause. We will not tolerate it.”

Police Commissioner Mike Bush.