Bandidos clubhouse raided by cops, loaded unregistered shotgun found

POLICE are bracing for the arrival of dozens of interstate bikies in Darwin as they head north for a weekend of fireworks and a poker run.

Cops seized a swag of illegal items during a raid at the Bandidos clubhouse at Virginia, including a loaded gun hidden inside a PVC pipe. Picture: NT Police

POLICE are bracing for the arrival of dozens of interstate bikies in Darwin as they head north for a weekend of fireworks and a poker run.

Members of the NT Police Gangs Task Force raided the Virginia Rd clubhouse of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club on Thursday.

About 30 Bandidos members are expected to come to Darwin this weekend, police said.

The president of the Top End chapter was interstate at the time of the raid but was arrested on Thursday when he touched down in Darwin.

BIKIE clubhouse raided by cops

Drug and Organised Crime Division officer in charge Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Stringer said police were looking for hard drugs during the search but didn’t find any.

What they did find hidden in the home’s living area was more serious – a loaded gun, wrapped in blue material inside a white PVC pipe.

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Detectives and the Territory Response Group also found 90 rounds of ammunition and a small amount of cannabis.

The Bandidos’ president, 44, was arrested and charged with offences in relation to the firearm and ammunition.

He was bailed to appear at a later date.

“We believe the weapon is unregistered and quite possibly altered and we’re conducting tests on it at the moment and it looks like the serial number may have been ground off of it,” Sen Sgt Stringer said.

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“It is quite common for criminals to grind the serial number off or tap it out.”

He said it was not uncommon for bikies to have firearms hidden, but ready to go.

“It’s quite common in bikie clubhouses or bikies’ homes, they like to have firearms handy to see off any rivals,” he said.

Sen Sgt Stringer said the raid was part of a targeted effort to crack down on bikie gangs.

“Bikies consider themselves as being ‘outside the law’ and police make no apology for cracking down on them and seizing illegal guns and other items,” he said.

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“This crackdown will continue as the Gangs Task Force carry on their efforts to disrupt and dismantle outlaw motorcycle gangs in the Northern Territory.”

Darwin has three established outlaw motorcycle gangs: the Bandidos, with about 14 members including members of two support clubs; the Hells Angels with eight members, including prospective members; and the Rebels with six members.

Sen Sgt Stringer said the Outlaws bikie gang was still expected to establish a chapter in Darwin.