The dangers of desire: How gangs recruit vulnerable kids
Young people are being influenced into a life of crime by the promise of luxuries as police reveal the mindset of the gang members.
Police & Courts
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Luxury car-driving and designer clothes-wearing street gang members are influencing vulnerable young people into a life of crime as a way to get rich quick, a top cop says.
The young gangs, who post videos about their flashy lifestyles – boasting brands such as Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton and driving Mercedes-Benz cars – are growing in influence in suburbs such as Ipswich and Logan.
The gangs have been thrust into public scrutiny after a man allegedly linked to a gang became involved with the investigation into the death of Ipswich grandmother Vyleen White on February 3.
Organised Crime and Gangs Squad boss Troy Pukallus told The Sunday Mail young people were enticed into the criminal lifestyle by what they saw online.
“They see that and think that’s the lifestyle they should have,” he said.
“This engenders them to commit crime, and they see that as the easiest way to get wealth.
“They are influenced by the scene, by what they see online, but a lot of the stuff they put online is pretty unregulated.”
Superintendent Pukallus described the gangs as “unsophisticated” but “violent”.
He said he was not dismissive of them and wanted the community to know police were focused on them day after day.
“They’re quite violent and I can see why they engender fear in the community,” he said. “They lack respect for authority and the law and even the value of life.”
The comments come after an investigation by The Sunday Mail, published last weekend, revealed how a major taskforce focusing on gangs had been disbanded.
A proactive police operation – Taskforce Knot – was set up in 2020 but was “limited” in its ability to charge those affiliated with the crews with consorting, as the offence does not apply for juveniles.
Superintendent Pukallus said he would be open to a conversation about association laws for Brisbane street gangs.
“We would always welcome a discussion with any government around what they would present in that space, we look at other jurisdictions to see what’s been effective,” he said. “But with street gangs, we really focus on the offending. Our focus is not on membership.”
Police are now looking at what other countries are doing in the space, particularly the UK which recently banned the sale of “zombie knives” and machetes after a surge in gang-related killings.
“We’re really mindful of that given the use of knives (here),” Superintendent Pukallus said.
“We’ve got some good legislation in place … wanding is becoming more prevalent, so we are addressing that aspect … it’s the offending, not so much the gang.”
Superintendent Pukallus said while some crimes were seen as a way to get rich quick, their more violent attacks could potentially be a method of paying off a debt.
“The level of violence has escalated from previous years, purely because for them it’s an effective way to quickly get that wealth,” he said.
Drill rap gangs involved in turf wars boast about their violence in online music videos, where they have claimed credit for bashings, stabbings and deaths in the South East in the past five years.
Superintendent Pukallus said the biggest challenge for him going forward was making sure the community knew police were serious about cracking down on these groups.
“My challenge is for the community to understand that we are here, day to day … making sure that we have got community confidence in what we do,” he said.
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