‘Over the top’: Alleged bikies say mass police raid found only ‘trivial’ offences as one of the arrested appears in court

Several alleged Mongols members say the multiple raids has led to only minor charges despite a multi-agency effort by the police.

Sources close to Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang say the group feels unnecessarily targeted by the multi-agency November 2 raids which resulted in seven people being arrested, after one of the seven was sentenced in court having been found with steroids, a brass knuckle and less than 0.1 grams of cocaine.

On Friday morning in Cairns Magistrates court Haruki James Naganuma, 37, appeared, charged with possessing a weapon and two counts of possessing dangerous drugs.

Mr Naganuma, a mechanic, was arrested as part of the raids on November 2 where doors and fences were smashed down at several homes across Cairns.

Police subsequently charged seven people, alleging they were either members or associates of the global motorcycle gang and organised crime network.

Mr Naganuma’s lawyer Bernie Carman says Mr Naganuma is not a member of the Mongols.

Mr Carman told the court his client was found with less than 0.1 grams of cocaine, “a tiny amount”.

Police footage shows an officer breaking down the front door of a home during raids targeting alleged members and associates of the Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang in Cairns on November 2.

He said his client had started using testosterone after he joined a body building gym.

Mr Carman argued the brass knuckles were a birthday present the 37-year-old received 10 years ago.

“He has never used them. He doesn’t fight, he doesn’t know how to fight,” Mr Carman said.

Mr Carman told the court his client was a “hardworking and honest man”, had no criminal history and tendered four written references from members of the community who knew Mr Naganuma.

Magistrate Sandra Pearson told Mr Naganuma that “all the references spoke very highly of you”.

Magistrate Pearson handed out a $100 fine for possessing the cocaine, a $100 fine for possessing the brass knuckle and s $200 fine for possessing the steroids.

She said the references all said he was a person of a good character and she did not record a conviction.

Detective Inspector Mick Searle addresses the media after police arrested and charged seven men during an operation targeting an alleged emerging chapter of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang in Cairns City.

Mr Naganuma was one of the seven arrested, who were all charged with a total of 17 offences after the November 2 raids and earlier targeted vehicle intercepts in October.

Ten of the charges were for drug possession or drug driving with two charged with contravening order about information necessary to access information stored, there was one charge of wearing prohibited clothing in a public place, one charged of unlicensed driving, two charges of possessing a weapon and one charge of assault occasioning bodily harm.

At the time, Acting Detective Inspector Mark Andrews said detectives would “continue to come down hard on this emerging chapter of Mongols OMCG in Cairns”.

“Our message is clear, if you are a member of or if you associate with organised crime groups such as the Mongols OMCG, you will be targeted,” he said.

“This day of action is only one part of the dedicated and targeted action by the Organised Crime Gangs Group, Major and Organised Crime Squads and Taskforce Maxima, and it will continue.”

However, one source who is not Mr Naganuma told Newscorp they felt the police response was disproportionate and that police failed to find any evidence of significant criminal activity.

Police footage of a Mongols jumper found in a home during raids targeting alleged members and associates of the Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang in Cairns.

In one case a man, who is not Mr Naganuma, charged with contravening an order about information necessary to access information stored electronically - said the charge came about because he refused to give his password to his phone.

He said he didn’t have anything to hide, but just had personal photos on his phone he didn’t want people to see.

He said a subsequent examination of the phone has so far resulted in no charges and no further offences alleged.

He said he was angry with the police and felt like the group was being unnecessarily targeted.

Outside of court Mr Carman told the Cairns Post his client was not even a member of the Mongols.

“He was just at a party when all this happened,” he said.

“He runs his own business, he is not a Mongol.”

Originally published as ‘Over the top’: Alleged bikies say mass police raid found only ‘trivial’ offences as one of the arrested appears in court