The following year, Tae pleaded guilty wounded with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

The gang shooting in broad daylight was shocking because of Masters’ notoriety, but especially because Tae had once been a close friend.

The two men were founding members of Killer Beez, one of the new street gangs that sprung up in Auckland in the early 2000s.

The Killer Beez were also a feeder group to the Tribesmen, a more traditional motorcycle club, which had a long association with the suburb of Ōtara.

The lines between the gangs were so blurred that Masters, once described by a High Court judge as a charismatic leader with unquestionable business acumen, also held a leadership position within the Tribesmen at one point.

He was arrested in 2008 on methamphetamine and money laundering charges, for which he was later convicted and sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison.

Unfortunately, the harsh prison environment proved even more fertile ground for recruitment.

By the time Masters was released from prison in May 2018, the Killer Beez had 312 members with a reputation as dangerous prisoners, with brutal attacks on other inmates and prison guards.

Once a ragtag group of childhood friends, the Killer Beez was now New Zealand’s fourth largest gang.

In the absence of Masters in Ōtara, many of the original Killer Beez had switched to the tribesmen’s colors and reestablished the gang’s dominance in their old stomping grounds of Ōtara.

His return was met with resistance from his former friends and tensions flared with a number of shootouts as Masters reaffirmed the Killer Beez as a full-fledged motorcycle club with distinctive white spots.

It all came to a head in April 2019, when Tae shot his former friend at the Mt Wellington motorcycle dealership.

After several years of relative peace, gang rivalry then reignited in 2022 in a series of 23 shootings and firebombings across Auckland that threatened to spiral out of control.

Although no one was seriously injured, concerns were raised about the heavy firepower used by both sides and the risk that an innocent bystander could be killed.

Eventually, the gangs negotiated a ceasefire and the truce has held up ever since.

But the Parole Board is clearly concerned that the conflict will resume once Tae leaves prison.

Now 45, Tae appeared before a three-person panel chaired by Sir Ronald Young in October to request early release.

According to the heavily redacted Parole Board decision, Tae had completed 36 sessions with a psychologist, which was “effectively all of the rehabilitation required to address his risk.”

At last month’s hearing, Tae asked to be released to live with a support person in a two-bedroom rental building in what was described as a small town.

“The (redacted) say they have developed a comprehensive release plan for Mr. Tae, including rehabilitation and reintegration programs,” the Parole Board wrote.

“Mr. (redacted) stated that he helped Mr. Tae give up his gang badge and was no longer involved in gangs.”

Much of the discussion at the Parole Board hearing focused on whether the proposed address was suitable for Tae, given the risk that he could be targeted for retaliation.

“Our view is that it would not be prudent to release Mr. Tae to reside in (redacted),” the Parole Board wrote.

“We consider that (redacted) is a relatively small town and it will soon be known where Mr. Tae lives, which will likely create a potentially serious risk to him and, therefore, a risk to the community at large.”

Tae will appear before the Parole Board again before April 2025. Before he can be released, the Parole Board said Tae must find a more suitable place to live. The committee also requested a briefing from a police gang liaison officer to assess the danger he posed.

“We need to better understand what the risks are to him, and therefore to the community in which he lives, and how these risks could be mitigated if released. »

If Tae is not granted early parole next year, his sentence will end in April 2026.

Jared Savage covers issues of crime and justice, with a particular interest in organized crime. He joined the Herald in 2006 and has won a dozen journalism awards during that time, including twice being named journalist of the year. He is also the author of Gangland and Gangster’s Paradise.