Outlaw bikie gangs see nation’s capital as a ‘soft target’ due to ACT’s ‘weak’ laws

The number of bikie gangs in Canberra has exploded in the past six months raising concerns from ACT cops past and present.

The number of bikie gangs in Canberra has exploded in the past six months with bosses from the outlaw groups holding meetings there because the national capital is seen as weak on crime.

Four major bikie gangs are now in the ACT where previously there was only the Comanchero, with the three other major gangs –   Hells Angels, Finks and Rebels – all recently establishing chapters there.

 “We have seen some of the highest officeholders coming to Canberra to have meetings where they fly in for a couple of days at a time,” ACT Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan said.

“They are discussing club business because they know we can’t stop them getting together, like in other states.”

NSW’s consorting laws make it illegal to associate or communicate with at least two people who have previously been convicted of a serious crime.

AFP Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

AFP Deputy Commissioner Gaughan said those laws in NSW, combined with the ACT’s decriminalisation for possession of small quantities of drugs such as heroin, LSD, and ice last October had made the capital a more attractive prospect for bikies.

“It is about that time we noticed more senior bikies coming here. They know we can’t really touch them, they can wear their colours and we also don’t have firearm prohibition laws, all of which makes it a challenge to do preventive policing,” he said.

Firearm prohibition orders allow police to search the cars and homes of known crooks at any time.

Former Canberra police officer Jason Taylor said he had watched the rise of crime gangs over the years in Canberra because of the ACT government’s lack of appetite to get tough on crime.

“It’s seen as a soft target because there is a lack of laws targeting them which they see as weakness,” said the former detective sergeant, who is running as a candidate for the Belco Party in the next ACT election where he will call for a repeal of the new drugs laws.

“This government doesn’t seem to understand there are violent criminals who don’t play by the rules and with the slack drug laws, it’s only going to get worse.”

On March 23, the Rebels bikie gang is planning its “National Run” which will see hundreds of members converge on Canberra.

The Rebels will converge on Canberra later this month.

The gang has booked the former Canberra greyhound racetrack, which has been unused since the ACT government banned greyhound racing in 2018.

The National Run was originally planned last October on the same day the new ACT drugs laws came into effect, but was postponed after the death of a senior Rebels member in Perth.

The Rebels are planning to hire trucks to bring their bikes into the ACT.

“They know Raptor (Squad, NSW’s anti-organised crime unit) will stop them so they put their bikes in pantech (trucks),” Mr Gaughan said.

Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan believes a unit similar to the Raptor squad in NSW targeting OLMG like the Hells Angels would not work in the ACT. Picture: NSW Police

“We will be watching them and get resources from the national bikie taskforce and other states, mainly with identifying who is who.”

Mr Gaughan said a Raptor-style unit would not work in the ACT because it doesn’t have the laws to support it.

“It’s pointless having something like Raptor if you don’t have the legislation to back it up. We have organised crime teams keeping tabs and working on organised figures and groups because they are here … We saw the growth in bikies here just before the new drug laws came into being.

Comanchero bikies.

“Certainly the meetings of the OMCG (outlaw motorcycle gang) hierarchy coming has been since October last year. We had a number of those meetings where major players from the Comanchero and the Hells Angels met before Christmas.

“They are not staying long, one or two nights.

“We snap them when they get off the plane but they can consort here without any problem. They are smart and behave themselves. They wear what we call soft colours, like T-shirts, but they are easy to identify.

“The issue that separates us from other states is they can meet, wear their colours and ride in groups.

“It concerns me.”

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Originally published as Outlaw bikie gangs see nation’s capital as a ‘soft target’ due to ACT’s ‘weak’ laws