Bikie investigation: SA Police arrest six Comanchero members in Prospect park, including commander and sergeant-at-arms

The two most senior Comanchero bikies are among other members to be arrested in a police sting in a Prospect park.

The current commander of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang has been arrested along with the sergeant-at-arms as part of a police operation.

Six members of the gang were arrested and charged with association offences after meeting at a park on Alexandra St in Prospect on Thursday night.

Among those arrested was Stefanos Anagnostopolous, 38, from Prospect.

Social media photos posted online by Mr Anagnostopolous wearing the soft colours, or unofficial merchandise of the gang, emblazoned with the word commander.

The Comanchero do not use the word president for the club leaders, instead adopting the military term commander, which stems from the origin of the club.

Mr Anagnostopolous was charged with criminal association and an unrelated charge.

He was denied police bail and appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday afternoon.

A home detention report was order and he was remanded in custody until next week.

Nelson Erneo, 31, from Northgate, was also arrested during the sting and charged with criminal association.

Mr Erneo has also been pictured in social media images wearing the club colours emblazoned with Sergeant at Arms.

Mr Erneo and Mr Anagnastopolous have been pictured with Comanchero bikie Matthew Kokotis who was jailed last month for threatening a current member of the Hells Angels with a replica firearm.

Additionally, a 55-year-old Magill man, a 37-year-old North Adelaide man and a 21-year-old Brooklyn Park man were charged with criminal association.

A 20-year-old man accompanying the group was charged with carrying offensive weapon and possessing prescription drugs.

They will appear in court in October.

Detective Chief Inspector Darren Fielke said the sting had resulted in the arrest of senior members of the gang.

“You take away decision-makers and leaders of the group, you have a distinct impact on their day-to-day activities,” Det Fielke said.

“It’s a fantastic result. The community should take a lot of comfort from the fact we’ve been able to remove these people from this environment.”

REPLAY THE PRESS CONFERENCE

It comes as Comanchero boss Mark Buddle fronts a Melbourne court after being extradited from Darwin overnight over the alleged importation of $40 million worth of cocaine.

Serious and Organised Crime Branch Detective Chief Inspector Darren Fielke speaks to media at Police HQ about the arrests of six members of the Comanchero bikie gang. Picture NCA NewsWire / Emma Brasier

South Australian legislation prohibits three or more participants of a declared criminal organisation to be present in a public place, with a penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment.

Det Fielke said police “did not know exactly” what the men were doing in the park.

“SAPOL will take every available opportunity and every means available to disrupt (criminal gang) activities,” Det Fielke said.

“(Criminal gang members) go to these places to try and get out of the police eye, they try and take the notice off themselves by being more public.

“But they also go there to plan, strategise and discuss what they’re doing … they go there to further their criminal activities.”

Det Fielke said information from members of the public helped lead to the arrests.

“Targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs is a collaborative effort … it’s the whole of SAPOL,” he said.

“We know that (their activities) affect community safety so we use all resources available.”

The Comanchero bikie gang is rivalled only by the Hells Angels for membership in South Australia.

However, their ranks were diminished by the arrest of multiple key members of the gang as a result of Operation Ironside.

Senior enforcers, leaders and the directors of multiple companies and businesses linked to the gang are now behind bars with pending charges of conspiracy to murder, money laundering and drug trafficking.

Police have said that in recent months the Comanchero and the Hells Angels have been waging a running skirmish across Adelaide.

On July 12 the Crime Gangs Task Force arrested a Ethan Ericson, 26. a member of the Comanchero bikie gang for allegedly discharging a shotgun at an Ingle Farm home in June this year.

A 27-year-old Craigmore woman was also arrested and charged with aiding and abetting over the same June incident.

On June 23, police received a call reporting gunshots on Barunga Ave at Ingle Farm.

Last month police also investigated a shooting at Munno Para West.

The shootings were believed to be linked to ongoing violence between the Hells Angels and Comanchero motorcycle gangs.

“Clearly there’s been tension between at least two outlaw motorcycle gangs in the last few weeks … those investigations are ongoing,” Det Fielke said.