Gang involved in commercial extortion
(WorldNews New Zealand)

An unnamed gang has moved into the field of commercial extortion, a court has heard. The name of the gang was not referred to at Christchurch District Court hearing and it does not appear in the court documents. No gang members have been charged because of problems proving individual identities. Russell Colin Arthur, a 58-year-old Christchurch businessman, said he was pressured into making blackmail threats on behalf of the gang because of a debt he owed. He admitted the blackmail charge in September and Judge Brian Callaghan jailed him for 21 months on...