Wellington - The New Zealand government condemned Monday a threat by a group of Asian immigrants to recruit Triad gang members for a vigilante force to help protect them against a crime wave in the country's biggest city, Auckland.

Acting Justice Minister Phil Goff said the idea was "utterly objectionable," and added, "These are the very people involved internationally in murder and drug trafficking, including into New Zealand, which is behind some of the worst criminal activity in our society."

And Prime Minister Helen Clark told a news conference triads were "a curse to law enforcement societies" around the world, adding, "We aim to suppress them and drive them out."

The threat came from Peter Low, 55, who emigrated to New Zealand from Singapore 21 years ago, after he had organised a protest march of about 10,000 people through Auckland's suburb of Botany Downs on Saturday demanding more police and tougher sentences for criminals following three homicides of ethnic Asians last month.

Two of last month's murder victims were Chinese immigrants and the third a Sikh liquor store owner shot dead in a burglary.

Low told reporters Asian immigrants had lost faith in the confidence of police to protect them and if the government and police did not act, the community would take their own measures, including hiring Triad members, to provide security.

Clark said the New Zealand police force was trying to recruit more Asian officers and urged the community to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to combat crime. (dpa)