New VIPER taskforce smashes bikies and organised criminals

Victoria Police’s new VIPER squad is bringing bikies and serious organised criminals to their knees, crumbling the foundations of their illegal empires.

Victoria Police’s strike back against bikies and serious organised criminals is already starting to crumble the foundations of their illegal empires.

VIPER, launched just three months ago, is an 80-plus-strong unit targeting the “enablers and facilitators” of organised crime in the state, it can be revealed for the first time.

“Those enablers, those professional facilitators, the people who assist serious and organised crime to flourish – we’re coming for you,” Inspector Craig Darlow, who spearheads the taskforce, warned.

And the Herald Sun – given exclusive access to the taskforce – can now detail how they are coming after those criminals from all angles.

VIPER taskforce targets serious organised criminals. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The tactical unit – the first of its kind in Victoria – combines police from a wide range of specialist roles into the one team with one focus; creating hell for all serious and organised crime figures.

“We’ve got specialists from financial crime, criminal proceeds, intelligence, road policing, tactical, family violence, drug and firearm and more,” Insp Darlow said.

“It’s filled with special skills and specialist knowledge that we can draw upon. And when we go after someone, we will throw everything at them. Any way we can make that environment hostile for that person, we will do it.”

Detective Senior Sergeant Leigh Howse said the crime groups all had a pyramid structure which VIPER will exploit.

“It’s the ones at the top making the money,” Mr Howse said.

“They are the ones where the benefits of wealth are being divided, as opposed to the foot soldiers who are out there doing the hard work. So while this new unit gives us the ability to target that low hanging fruit, it’s having an impact on the upper end of the echelon, in terms of their ability to derive profits from serious organised crime.”

VIPER has arrested 173 people, and charged 84 of them with 298 offences in three months of operation.

It has also seized 12 firearms, almost $700,000 in cash and impounded 19 vehicles.

And bikies and crime lords are taking notice. Or going through “a culture and attitudes change” as Insp Darlow labels it.

Senior Sergeant Warren Chapman said the new model meant police could go from reactive to proactive.

“We target the enablers and facilitators of organised crime. It doesn’t have to be the high end of those groups. It’s wherever they are vulnerable and often that’s with the lower end that support these groups. That’s how we target them and the beauty of VIPER is you’ve got so many different people from so many areas, we will find an opportunity to target them and we will make an impact.”

Sen Sgt Chapman added: “So business as usual now is a lot around enforcement powers, as opposed to being reactive and waiting for something to happen.

“The expectation now among organised crime groups is that if you’re a subject to some sort of enforcement action, you’re going to get a visit from the VIPER taskforce.”

VIPER has seized almost $900,000 in cash believed to be the proceeds of crime.

The “game changer” has been Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPO). Almost 1700 Victorians have been served one and it allows officers to detain them, search their homes, vehicles and properties without a warrant or giving any notice.

VIPER’s use of this power has resulted in significant results.

“It’s put a lot of serious and organised crime persons of interest on notice,” Insp Darlow said.

“We could turn up at any time and I think doing 85 FPO searches (in three months) has had a significant impact. I think that’s where the unit has assisted in changing the culture.”

He added: “By way of example, our non-fatal shootings are significantly down. I think the last organised crime shooting was in June. We were created in July and I don’t think we’ve had an OMCG or serious and organised crime related one since then.

“I’m not saying VIPER has been the difference, but I think our proactive targeting of these groups has really contributed to that reduction. It’s had a significant impact on what people are actually doing. A lot of our higher profile criminals are not carrying firearms. They are not in possession because they are aware that we could potentially turn up at any time.”

Police can also use search powers under the Drugs Act, apply for search warrants in short periods of time, use warrants under the Firearms Act and enforce bail conditions but also target their hit list with road policing.

VIPER detectives raid a home in Epping.

“We’ve processed 84 offenders for charges ranging from assault to deception, drugs trafficking and possession, handling stolen goods, theft of motor vehicles right through to weapons, explosives and firearm possession,” Det Sen Sgt Howse said.

“We’ve got a multitude of legislation that we can use at our disposal to target these individuals.

“We’ve got a 360 degree approach to the way we tackle these guys. And the results speak for themselves in terms of all that we have achieved in the first three months.”

Insp Darlow said he makes no apology for being in criminals faces and dishing out punishment for everything from not wearing a seatbelt to seizing loaded handguns.

VIPER has charged 84 people with offences from drug trafficking to firearm possession. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“We’re dynamic, we’re flexible, we can come in small or we can come in large,” Insp Darlow said.

“We’re highly visible, we’re tactical, we’ve got different options and opportunities to treat different crime themes. We’re happy to target all serious and organised crime. We want to make the environment hostile for all people involved or associated with organised crime.

“Organised crime syndicates are ruthless and relentless and they adapt their offending in response to the change in circumstance and environment they are in. And that’s where I see VIPER being so, so pivotal for Victoria Police, because we have that broad cross section of members from different environments that we can use to bring in and treat those different crime themes.

“We’re not just singularly focused on one particular area like a lot of crime squads are, we can adapt and be one step ahead, making it a very hostile environment for organised crime.

“That proactive work plays a significant part in reducing crime overall and making our community safe.”