Strike Force Raptor carries out series of raids at homes of known Middle Eastern criminals
MIDDLE Eastern crime families were reminded they are in the sights of a beefed-up Strike Force Force Raptor with a series of raids of homes and businesses across Sydney over the weekend. And there’s more to follow this week.
NSW
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MIDDLE Eastern crime families were reminded they are in the sights of a beefed-up Strike Force Raptor with a series of raids of homes and businesses over the weekend.
Until this week, the strike force had only targeted bikie gangs. But a recent restructure saw the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad merged with the Gangs Squad to form the Criminal Groups Squad.
“Over the weekend we carried out 24 firearm prohibition searches on 24 premises of known Middle Eastern criminals and their associates just to make sure those groups and families don’t think they can relax,’’ Criminal Groups Squad head Detective Superintendent Deborah Wallace said.
“If you are a member of a criminal group and drive or operate a business Raptor will use traffic infringements, compliance to council laws, taxation laws and consorting laws to disrupt any illegal activities,” she said.
The Daily Telegraph was granted exclusive access to the raids, the first operation by the new squad, which will continue over the next few weeks.
In the operation police seized one illegal weapon, a large amount of suspected steroids and cash, while also issuing scores of infringement notices. It also allowed police to gather intelligence.
Under a restructuring of the NSW Police force the Middle Eastern organised crime Squad was disbanded two weeks ago and merged with the Gangs Squad to form the Criminal Groups Squad.
The raids over the weekend, which will continue over the coming days, was designed to send a message that the disbanding of MEOCS did not mean they were not going to be targeted by police.
“Over the weekend we carried out 24 Firearm prohibition searches on 24 premises of known middle eastern criminals and their associates just to make sure those groups and families don’t think they can relax’’ said Detective Wallace.
“To us it’s business as usual and all that has happened is we are now just expanding our operations to include other criminal targets, not just bikies.
“They will now be subjected to the same high impact policing deployed by Raptor,’’ she said.
“Many of those in the expanded raptor and new Criminal groups unit are from middle eastern crime and we have now joined forces.”
Fourth Centennial Park comrade charged
Over the past decades police have seen an increasing cross over by middle crooks into bikie gangs.
In the latest operation police have seized one illegal weapon, a large amount of what they suspect are steroids, also cash and issued scores of infringement notices. The operation is ongoing.
“In addition operations such as these allow us to gather valuable intelligence on the locations of associations of known criminals.’’
READ OUR FULL BIKIE INVESTIGATION
► CHAPTER ONE: Inside the squad that beat Sydney’s gangs
► CHAPTER TWO: The real-life police fight club