Raptor Squad expands to target bikies in rural and regional NSW

Two new Raptor Squad headquarters will be set up in NSW to give “relentless attention” to bikies trying to build up operations in regional and rural areas to escape scrutiny in Sydney.

Bikies are now secretly calling police to raid their properties as a way of surrendering their patches without violent ­repercussions from their gangs.

It’s a result of the sustained pressure from the State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad — and the heat will only intensify from Monday when the squad opens two new headquarters in regional NSW.

With 29 full-time staff based in the Hunter and another 25 in the Illawarra, Raptor will give “relentless attention” to all clubs trying to build their operations out bush to escape scrutiny in Sydney.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis says bikie membership is plummeting because of the “persistent”, highly visible work of the Raptor Squad, and people spreading into regional areas to carry on their criminal activities can expect the “powerful and professional squad” to come knocking on their door.

In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the Raptor Squad commander revealed bikies were succumbing to the pressure of his team — many uncomfortable with the police attention.

Raptor North’s Detective Inspector Peter Walke, Raptor Commander Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis and Raptor South’s Detective Inspector Brad Abdy. Picture: Tim Hunter

“Some are even ringing us to do raids on their own houses, hoping it will appear random, so they can hand their colours in, that’s the level of pressure they are feeling,” Supt Koutsoufis said.

“In smaller towns they stand out and the pressure is going to reach a whole new level.

“Our message to them is: we are coming to a town near you. We will be operating throughout regional NSW and we will be highly visible.

“There are no secrets, we are not doing this covertly, we are telling members of outlaw motorcycle gangs and their associates that ‘if you sign up, you sign up to us’.

“We are a professional unit with huge success and we will be working with local community police, a range of agencies, to act on intelligence.

“We will not tolerate criminal activity.”

Supt Koutsoufis said Raptor’s model had proven highly effective in making it tough for bikies to do their business.

“So with that we are seeing them pushed into rural parts of NSW, other states and overseas to areas like the Middle East and South America.

“We have seen a 20 per cent reduction in membership over the last four years, meaning in NSW they are down to just over 2000 members that we know of.

“The whole reason we are spreading our attention to the north and south of the state is because there is a lot of cross-border activities, rival gangs are getting on the ground there, so we are working with other jurisdictions to disrupt their activities.”

Ports outside of Sydney and main transport road routes would be a key focus of the Raptor Squads, who use a three-pronged approach combining the highly visible squad members, highway patrol units and carefully-gathered intelligence from detectives and local police on the ground.

A Raptor raid on the Gladiators Clubhouse in Maitland.

“We know the transport hubs north and south, we will also focus on ports … we know there is criminal activity there, drugs, firearms stolen goods, the whole lot so we will target those spots like Port Kembla harbour, Wollongong harbour, Kiama and spots up and down the coast we know they are using for their activities.

“Regardless of where they are in the state, we will find them, and we will disrupt them.”

Supt Koutsoufis scoffed at the suggestion bikies were being unfairly targeted.

In November, 400 Bandidos from around Australia made the trip to Victoria for their first run in three years, insisting they were the “one per cent” of bikies who were law-abiding citizens.

But the Bandidos are well and truly on the hotlist of outlaw bikie gangs in the sights of Raptor. Add to that the Comanchero, Rebels, Gladiators, Finks and the Mongrels to name a few.

The Bandidos insist they are law-abiding citizens, but Raptor squad is still watching them. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“There is overwhelming evidence to suggest these gangs are involved in criminal activity, extortion, drugs, dealing firearms, kidnappings, you name it they have got their fingerprints all over it,” Det Supt Koutsoufis said.

“The people we have our eyes on and that we are going after are involved in criminal activity, they can expect the scrutiny and attention of Raptor North and South as they take their business to regional NSW. We are coming for them.”

Police Minister Paul Toole said the Raptor name had become synonymous with dismantling organised crime.

“Crime knows no boundaries, and as our regional communities grow, it is critical resources are directed to where they need to go to disrupt these networks,” Mr Toole said.

“These squads are sending a clear message to organised crime networks thinking they can slip under the radar or spread their tentacles in the region: Raptor is watching and the only part of the regions they’ll see is the inside of one of our prisons.”

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the government’s long-term economic plans meant more investment in police resources and a permanent presence of dedicated Raptor Squad officers targeting dangerous outlaw motorcycle gangs and criminal networks.

“Every resident of our state deserves to feel safe in their communities and their homes,” he said.

“The government will not tolerate organised criminal activity that jeopardises the safety and lives of innocent members of our community.”

HOW A BRUTAL BASHING DEATH AT SYDNEY AIRPORT CREATED A SQUAD

In less than 12 months Raptor Squad has seized more than $5.5 million in cash, confiscated more than 200 prohibited weapons and laid more than 3200 charges.

The Raptor Squad modus operandi is to irritate bikie gang members and disrupt their criminal activity.

While they are known for their high-visibility raids, seen storming club houses and stripping members of their patches, Raptor is just as effective through its intelligence gathering.

They use Serious Crime Prevention Orders to limit communication between members, and Firearm Prohibition Orders to raid homes and businesses suspected of housing illegal weapons.

Raptor was formed in response to the bloody brawl at Sydney Airport between two rival bikie gangs, The Comanchero and the Hells Angels.

former head of the Comanchero Mick Hawi.

Mick Hawi, the former head of the Comanchero, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after the death of Hells Angels associate Anthony Zervas.

Anthony Zervas was bashed with a bollard and stabbed with a pair of scissors during a Sunday afternoon brawl in front of terrified passengers. He died at the scene.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said the gangs had been involved in violent activity and drug dealing had been increasing in the lead-up to the fatal brawl.

The squad’s results speak for themselves.

Between 2009 and 2021 Raptor made 6290 arrests and laid 15823 charges. They seized $15,528,141 in cash and confiscated 2066 firearms. They also took possession of more than 190kg of cocaine, cannabis and MDMA. In 2021, Raptor was made a permanent squad with its own superintendent as commander in charge.

“Since then, we’ve gone to a new level again, with a focus on motorcycle gang activity and organised criminal network activity across the state,” Mr Hudson said.

“Increasingly over the last couple of years, we’ve seen a lot of outlaw motorcycle activity in their criminal networks leave Sydney and move to what they consider to be safe havens.

“So we have addressed that by deploying to regional areas and assisting police districts with enforcement and disruption operations.”

Since becoming a squad in March 2021, Raptor officers have laid 3266 charges, seized another $5.5 million in cash, confiscated another 230 firearms and taken another 107kg of drugs off the streets.

The results are proof that Raptor’s approach — which other agencies have replicated – works, Mr Hudson said.

And now, the benefit to having two permanent headquarters in regional NSW means the assault on organised crime can intensify.

“Having these two headquarters will not only minimise response times, but also means we have ongoing intelligence gathering and operations within those regions to disrupt criminal activity,” Mr Hudson said. “We have a model that works, not just the highly visible police but also the criminal investigations and using highway patrol. We’ve had proven success targeting the criminals at every level.”

Mr Hudson said police knew of more than a dozen different outlaw motorcycle groups active in both the northern and southern parts of the state.

“The Gladiators are very active which we don’t really see in Sydney, plus the Rebels, Finks, the Mongrels, Hells Angels and the Comanchero.

“They are involved in high-end violence, drug distribution and extortion.”

Just days ago Raptor squad members swarmed two properties at Stockyard Creek and Woodenbong, in the state’s north.

Working with local police they seized firearms, ammunition, cannabis and a range of stolen vehicles including a caravan and tractor. Three people have been charged.

In the south, Raptor has its eye on the Rebels and the Bandidos. “We are seeing the same activities down south but there are less members, we see close to 300 in that area.”

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