Four King Cobras Linked Men Jailed Over Nelson Drive By Shooting Tied to $40K Meth Debt

#gridsparta #bikies #kingcobraaiga Four men linked to the King Cobras have been jailed after a drive-by shooting in Nelson that was carried out over a 40 thousand dollar methamphetamine debt. The Nelson District Court heard the group travelled to the city in September 2024 to settle a historic drug debt involving 10 ounces of methamphetamine. Their target was believed to be a man associated with the debt, but instead, bullets tore through a family home where innocent people were inside. Josaia Qalovaki, Cypress Warren, Tiori Edwards and Francois Teaurima arrived armed with three loaded firearms fitted with suppressors and carrying dozens of rounds of ammunition. Prosecutors said the men acted under the umbrella of the King Cobras and were prepared to use violence to send a message. Just before midnight, the group drove to a quiet street in Stoke in a black Volkswagen Polo. They then performed an aggressive U turn, returned to the address and opened fire from the vehicle. Four shots were fired. One bullet smashed through the lounge window and passed just 30 centimetres above the head of a person who had been sitting watching television. Three other people, including a 16 year old, were also inside the home. The court heard the attack was intended to intimidate and demonstrate the group's capacity for violence after repeated attempts to locate the person they believed owed the money. After the shooting, the men returned to their motel, where a CCTV captured them entering their room. The following day, one of the defendants photographed the firearms laid out on a bed. Police later recovered the weapons along with ammunition during subsequent searches. in the court the Judge said it was never established who actually pulled the trigger, but all four men were willing participants in an operation that could easily have ended in tragedy. Qalovaki was sentenced to just under four years in prison. Warren received a combined sentence of more than four years, including other offending. Edwards and Teaurima were each sentenced to three years imprisonment. The judge said innocent people were placed at extreme risk, and only luck prevented the shooting from becoming a fatal case. Follow Grid Sparta on Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/GridSparta Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GridSparta Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/GridSparta Reditt: https://www.reddit.com/r/Gridsparta