Four Nomads bikies arrested as police seize drugs, cash, guns and vehicles

Four members of the Nomads – including two chapter presidents – have been arrested, with police seizing cash, guns, drugs and vehicles.

Four members of the Nomads bikie gang – including two chapter presidents – have been arrested in a significant drug and weapons seizure, where thousands of dollars worth of heroin and meth were taken off the streets.

Head of the state’s Serious and Organised Crime Branch, Detective Superintendent Stephen Taylor, said seven properties were searched in Adelaide’s north and east on Friday, April 23, where 11 firearms were seized, as well as 700 grams of heroin, 800 grams of meth, $160,000 cash, five vehicles, four Harley Davidson motorcycles and a jetski.

Concealed within one of the vehicles was 80 grams of meth and more than $9000 cash in a hidden compartment.

The Nomads were put under the spotlight during Operation Leo, an investigation that began in December.

Five vehicles, as well as four Harley Davidson motorcycles and a jet ski, were seized in the raids. Picture: SA Police

The jet ski seized in the raids. Picture: SA Police

Beau James Cochrane, 30, Dion Jay Madden, 40, and Adam Robert Fennell, 47, were arrested and charged with trafficking in a large commercial quantity of controlled drugs, money laundering and firearms offences. They appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court last Tuesday, where police revealed they had set up covert cameras and listening devices in a Magill shed to uncover a safe house for the alleged drug trafficking operations.

They were refused bail to appear in court in August.

Dion Madden and Adam Fennell are charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. Photo: Facebook

A fourth man from Modbury North was also charged with money laundering and was bailed to appear in court at a later date.

Det Supt Taylor said the arrests were significant.

“It’s very significant to arrest two chapter presidents, one was the east side chapter president and the other was the Adelaide city chapter president,” Det Supt Taylor said.

“I think this just goes to show again another example of the connection between outlaw motorcycle gangs and criminality.”

The Nomads Adelaide city president was on a firearms prohibition order.

The 700 grams of heroin equates to 7000 street uses, with a street value of $700,000, and the 800 grams of meth is 8000 street uses, with a street value of $800,000.

Four members of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang have been arrested and charged with serious offences. Pictures: SA Police

Some of the firearms seized had been modified to easily fit inside clothing.

Det Supt Taylor said it was disturbing to have heroin back on the streets of SA.

“Here we have two chapter presidents, dealing in probably the worst two categories of drug you can get, we’ve got methamphetamine and heroin, one totally destroys lives and one takes lives.”

He said anyone with information on members of OMCG should contact police.

“The other issue is the firearms and some of the cash and certainly the drugs were located in what we would categorise as a safe house in a shed at the back of a rented property.

“So I would ask landlords and homeowners that they do their due diligence when they rent out their property, and actually make sure they’re renting out to the right people.”

Det Supt Taylor said the bikie gangs police are seeing now “are nothing like the gangs we used to see”.

“Now, it’s all organised crime, it’s about money, wealth, power, by whatever means available.

“Young men contemplating joining bikie gangs, looking for camaraderie and a brotherhood, I don't think you’re going to find that.

“I think what you’re going to find is … criminal activity.

“You might spend time in and out of jail - you’ll most certainly get a lot of attention from police and the high levels of law enforcement.”

He said members are not allowed to leave gangs, and more often than not, members are beaten if they do leave, and stripped of their assets.

“That to me is not a brotherhood, that's not what mates do to each other,” he said

It follows news of police launching an investigation last week into a series of serious assaults and arsons in the southern suburbs involving organised crime gangs.