Victoria Police’s VIPER Taskforce plans to get into the face of criminals such as outlaw bikies

Victoria’s top cop has vowed to create a “hostile environment” for bikies & crime gangs with a new taskforce to tackle a wave of violence using these tough tactics.

Victoria Police will launch a new assault on serious and organised crime gangs with a dedicated taskforce that is the first of its kind in the state.

The Viper taskforce – which will be resourced with 80 specialist officers from Monday – will confront Melbourne’s organised crime threat head-on as a tactical and investigative unit.

The taskforce’s mission will be to get into the face of organised criminals to “prevent, detect, deter and disrupt’’ the criminal activities of groups such as outlaw motorcycle gangs, organised crime networks and street gangs.

The taskforce, to be announced on Friday, comes amid a wave of gang violence, including the shooting of Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim, the killing and wounding of other Middle Eastern organised crime figures in planned hits and a series of drive-by shootings in the north.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton with taskforce members, Detective Inspector Anthony Brown, Sergeant Helen McCormack and Public Order Response Team officers. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton told the Herald Sun exclusively that it was the first time Victoria Police had ­developed a taskforce of this kind.

Its development came after a review of models across Australia and internationally.

“We want to create the most hostile environment for organised crime in Victoria and we make no apologies for that,’’ Mr Patton said.

“The Viper taskforce will increase the pressure on these criminal groups through a range of enforcement activities designed to hold them to account. We will be targeting their every activity.

Detective Inspector Anthony Brown with a Public Order Response Team officer. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“As the nature of organised crime continues to evolve, we know we have to be agile and change the way we confront these groups. I have no doubt the Viper taskforce will significantly ­enhance our ability to proactively target, disrupt and dismantle organised crime.“This is one of the most significant, co-ordinated and proactive moves against ­organised crime syndicates in Victoria Police’s history and I expect there will be immediate results when it comes to community safety.”

Detective Inspector Anthony Brown, who headed up the anti-gangland Purana taskforce, will be Viper’s officer in charge.

The taskforce will have similarities to the NSW Raptor taskforce dealing with Sydney’s outlaw bikie and Middle Eastern crime wave.

Sam “The Punisher” Abdulrahim was shot in Fawkner. Picture: Mike Keating.

Abdulrahim’s Mercedes was shot at in the drive-by ambush. Picture: Brendan Beckett

Day to day, Viper members will be deployed anywhere across the state at short notice to respond to and shut down high-level crime networks and prevent harm to the public.

It includes identifying and targeting emerging organised crime gangs and issues arising from incidents, such as homicides, shootings, disputes across and within organised crime groups and drug and ­illicit firearms trafficking.

Acting Commander Peter Brigham said the taskforce would also target known members, associates and ­facilitators of these groups to ensure police were doing everything possible to create a hostile environment for those involved in this ­criminality.

These “facilitators’’ work within the crime network of higher-profile criminals.

They are often the front names attached to their businesses, such as gyms and ­tattoo parlours, where the money made from crime is laundered.

Commander Brigham said the diverse mix of skills and experience within a single taskforce provided an opportunity for police to target all aspects of criminality linked to these groups, their associates and facilitators.

Viper will expand the force’s use of Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPO), which allow police to search criminals and their properties any time without warrants.

FPOs have been slapped on more than 1500 Victorians and last year 1040 guns were seized.

Specific suburbs will also be closely monitored.

The taskforce will support the work of specialist investigation units, such as the anti-bikie Echo taskforce.

The taskforce will also dedicate extra resources to ­regional police to target serious organised crime occurring in those areas, such as Geelong, Shepparton and Mildura.

Viper is an acronym for visibility, intelligence, prevention, enforcement and ­reassurance, the force saying it has been in development since a Crime Command ­review in 2021.

It was after that review the Purana taskforce was disbanded.

The new taskforce will bring together detectives, ­intelligence officers and members of the Public Order Response Team, with support from specialised road policing members, as well as general duties and uniformed police.

Opposition police spokesman Brad Battin said Victoria’s new Viper taskforce lacks bite.

Mr Battin said that was because the Andrews government had “watered down” the state’s anti-bikie laws.

He said at a time when the New South Wales and Queensland governments were taking action on bikie gangs, Daniel Andrews “rolled out the welcome mat and created a bikies paradise”.

“Daniel Andrews was warned his watering down of laws to prevent outlaw motorcycle gangs in Victoria would lead to increased violence and more gangs in our state,” Mr Battin said.

Originally published as Victoria Police’s VIPER Taskforce plans to get into the face of criminals such as outlaw bikies