Shots fired at Ascot Park home over drug debt feud — ignited after arrest of Hells Angels bikies over Jason De Ieso murder
The arrests of Hells Angels bikies last week over the 2012 murder of Jason De Ieso have sent ripples through the SA underworld, causing a feud over a drug debt to erupt into arson and gun shots fired into a house, police say.
The arrest of five current or former Hells Angels bikies over the cold-case murder of Jason De Ieso has unwittingly sent ripples through the South Australian underworld, triggering a violent dispute over a drug debt.
Five shots fired into a house in Adelaide’s southwest on Monday evening have been linked to arson attacks on a gym and a food van last week.
All three events of escalating violence have been linked to a dispute over a drug debt between the Hells Angels Outlaw Motorcycle Club and other Adelaide organised crime figures.
The reprisals come as detectives and heavily armed police continue to raid properties across Adelaide as part of the investigation into the cold case murder of Jason De Ieso on November 21, 2012.
Four homes and a business were searched by police on Tuesday in connection with that investigation.
Detective Superintendent Mark Trenwith, officer in charge of the Serious and Organised Crime Branch, said five shots fired at an Ascot Park property was directly linked to the arson attack of a gym in Marleston last week.
Mr Trenwith said the two people at the address on Monday night were not involved in any criminality.
“Police believe the two arsons last week and the shooting in Ascot Park are related,” he said.
“We believe they are not random but targeted and the result of a drug debt between people I would describe as organised crime identities, some of whom are associated with the Hells Angels Outlaw Motorcycle Club.
“These groups have a propensity for violence and crime, that is the way they live their lives.”
He said that while the three acts of violence were not directly related to the murder of Mr De Ieso and the arrest of five men for murder and a man and a woman for assisting an offender, the aftershocks of that operation were being felt in the criminal underworld.
“It appears there is some form of payback involved,” Mr Trenwith said.
“It also appears that people being arrested and incarcerated has changed the balance of power among some of these groups and there has been tit for tat retaliation.
“We knew the arrests were going to occur and a number of strategies were in place to mitigate any ripples or aftershocks.
“This is a drug debt matter, not a wider conflict between bikie groups.
“There is a substantial drug debt involving these people. Allegiances in these criminal networks change rapidly and people who are associates and friendly at one point in time, that quite often changes overnight.”
Police are searching for a white car seen speeding from the scene of the shooting at 8pm on Monday evening.
Witnesses said they heard a single shot, then three more in quick succession, before the final bullet was fired at the home.
In the early hours of Friday, August 9, a deliberate fire at a gymnasium on Marker Ave, Marleston caused substantial damage.
The Crime Gangs Task Force is also investigating a deliberately lit fire at Mile End in the early hours of August 8, which destroyed a food van.
Anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au — don’t forget you can give information anonymously.