An Auckland police boss says gangs play a big part in gun crime – but it's not just gangs.

RNZ reports there were 879 gun crime offences across Auckland in the first six months of the year - 28 more than the same time last year.

Just 18 of those were committed by people with a firearms licence.

Police Assistant Commissioner for Auckland Sam Hoyle told Mike Hosking that covers everything around gun offending.

He says from teenagers playing with imitation weapons to high end, they're seeing it across the spectrum.

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