Victorian jails on high alert over new prison gang
A new gang has emerged in Victoria’s prison system, naming itself after a notorious term popular in US gang culture — and there are fears it may be trying to align itself with other infamous jail gangs.
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A new gang has emerged in Victoria’s prison system, naming itself after a notorious term popular in US gang culture.
The gang has named itself 187, the California penal code for murder.
The Herald Sun understands corrections officers at Barwon Prison have been told to be alert for 187 tags.
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While authorities believe the gang is not yet a serious force, there are fears it might be trying to align itself with other jail gangs, such as the infamous Prisoners of War.
The POW gang is led by Matthew Johnson, who murdered gangland kingpin Carl Williams in Barwon in 2010, smashing his skull with eight blows from the stem of an exercise bike seat.
A source told the Herald Sun that 187 is largely made up of younger inmates and started in the state’s youth justice centres before spreading to adult jails.
“They are young punks who think they are bad men,” the source said. “It started off in juvie but they are trying to get traction within the prisons.”
The POWs remain a brutal force, though some sources say their influence has diminished of late. They are suspected of involvement in witness intimidation and attacks on enemies on the outside.
Other traditional jailhouse gangs continue to wield considerable power behind bars.
Outlaw motorcycle gang outfits, most notably the Hells Angels, Comanchero and Bandidos, are heavily linked to the prison drug trade and are capable of exerting power well beyond prison walls.
Middle Eastern organised crime families and groups are also flourishing, often in collaboration with bikies.
They are key players in controlling drug trafficking and frequently intimidate more vulnerable inmates to involve them in the trade.
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A Corrections Victoria spokeswoman on Friday declined to comment on the emergence of 187.
It comes after a prison guard was implicated in an organised crime taskforce probe into drug smuggling at Port Phillip Prison.
An employee at Port Phillip is believed to be under scrutiny from Purana taskforce detectives as part of the drug-smuggling investigation.
The Herald Sun has been told the drug buprenorphine — the biggest problem drug in the prison system — is at the centre of the inquiry.
Port Phillip houses some of the most dangerous criminals in the state, where for years there have been violent struggles for control of the drug trade.