Guns, explosives, drugs seized in joint Victorian, NSW bikie gang raids

Police are warning outlaw bikie gangs escaping to regions, they will be caught, no matter where they try and run to.

Police are warning outlaw bikie gangs escaping to regions, it will not stop them from getting caught.

Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis, commander of the Raptor squad of the NSW Police, said raids were just the tip of the iceberg in the crackdown on bikie gangs.

“This is only the beginning of ongoing operations,” he said.

“We are sending a strong message that we will maintain a presence and target criminal activity, wherever it may be, whether it’s Merrylands, Surry Hills, Tweed Heads or Albury; we will be there targeting organised criminal activity and the activities of OMCG and their associates.”

Detective Koutsoufis said police had successfully run the bikie gangs from metro areas, leading them to escape to regions, especially border areas.

“As they move, we move as well . . . following their activities.”

Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly of Victoria Police said bikie gangs who believe they can hide in the country are “mistaken”.

“We will ensure that serious and organised crime is tackled head-on,” he said.

Bikies may run to regional areas, but police say there’s no hiding. Picture: NCA NewsWire

“I’d ask those people involved in serious and organised crime to think again; the environment going forward will continue to be hostile.”

Detective Kelly also warned anyone considering joining a gang to “think twice”.

“We’re seeing several people being recruited into these clubs are being asked to commit crimes that are ending up impacting their lives, impacting the lives of their family, resulting in family violence incidents in their life,” he said.

“It’s clear once you’re in a gang, the difficulties of actually getting out of an outlaw motorcycle gang is extremely challenging. There are numerous stories of people who have had their lives devastated, not only theirs but their family lives devastated. Because you’re signing up for something you really don’t know what it’s all about.”

It comes as Victoria’s bikie gang busting Viper taskforce gatecrashed a Finks clubhouse during a cross-border crackdown, with guns, explosives and drugs seized in a joint effort with NSW authorities.

The Viper taskforce – launched last year to take on street crime – partnered with NSW’s Raptor squad over the week, laying 45 charges and making eight arrests in and around the state’s northeast.

Among a series of incidents police say they found “various drugs of dependence” at what was believed to be a Finks clubhouse in Barnawartha as they carried out a compliance search on a firearm prohibition order.

Raptor officers also attended an Albury home believed to be a Black Uhlans clubhouse.

Eventually invited in, police say they discovered documents listing prices for alcoholic drinks.

A Porsche SUV seized during the cross-border bikie raids.

Victoria's Viper taskforce making an arrest during an operation targeting bikies.

Authorities are now investigating whether the clubhouse has acted as an unlicensed bar.

Viper officers also cast their net to Echuca, where they arrested a 31-year-old man accused of possessing a homemade shotgun and ammunition.

Two other Echuca men were taken into custody for other weapon and drug offences.

In West Wodonga, a 37-year-old man was arrested with police seizing knuckle dusters and knives along with explosives, daggers and ammunition.

The Rebels gang was also put under the microscope when police intercepted a convoy travelling towards Victoria down the Hume Hwy.

A member of Victoria Police’s Viper squad which targets outlaw bikies.

They hit the group with consorting warnings – an offence barring association between previously convicted criminals, as well as eight traffic infringement notices.

Detective Superintendent Jason Weinstein said the week-long probe gave police more insight into bike gangs’ cross-border operations.

“Cross-border crime is ever present in our society, with the attraction of the drug trade pushing organised criminal figures out of the city and into regional towns, believing they are safe from being targeted and out of constant law enforcement attention,” he said.

“This couldn’t be further from the truth – particularly with the establishment of our Raptor South Squad, we continue to gather intelligence and information about what groups are active and their activities, which are potentially linked to organised crime.”

An Echuca man arrested by Viper officers during an operation targeting bikies

Victoria Police’s Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said while it was the first time Viper and Raptor police had partnered up, “it certainly won’t be the last”.

“If you are involved in organised criminal activity, you will be detected and you will be held accountable, irrespective of a state border,” he said.

“The message is simple: if you are involved in serious and or organised crime, we will be unrelenting in our mission to disrupt your activities and protect our community.”