Operation Ironside: Victoria’s Comancheros ‘stopped in their tracks’

Comanchero bikie members from suburbs across Melbourne have been arrested in raids linked to global police sting Operation Ironside. Victoria Police are expected to use information uncovered to solve at least four murders.

Victoria’s Comancheros bikie gang has been “stopped in its tracks” following raids linked to a global police sting, with at least nine members arrested and evidence that links them to four unsolved murders.

There were at least nine patched Comancheros bikie members, including a senior Sergeant-At-Arms, arrested in raids across the state.

Operation Ironside raids at Thornhill Park. Picture: Victoria Police via NCA NewsWire

Victoria Police will use information uncovered in the Operation Ironside sting to solve at least four murders. Picture: Victoria Police via NCA NewsWire

They were nabbed based on information gleaned from criminals using the AN0M encryption app, which had been cracked by the Australian Federal Police and FBI.

Victorian Assistant Commissioner Robert Hill said the Comancheros operation had taken a significant hit.

“I’ve got no doubt it will take them many years to again be on that scene of serious organised crime in the future,” he said.

“But I can assure that this has stopped that particular group in its tracks.”

At least nine patched Comancheros were arrested in raids across the state. Picture: File

Police raids in connection with Operation Ironside.

More than 300 Victorian Police joined with Australian Federal Police to conduct raids across Victoria.

There were 32 people arrested including suspects from Greenvale, Tottenham, Mickleham, Thomastown, Narre Warren and Cranbourne West.

There were also suspects from Hampton Park, Meadow Heights, Dallas, Niddrie and Keysborough.

More than $410,000 in cash was seized and 25 kilograms of methamphetamine and 2kg of cocaine, with a combined street value of several million dollars.

Gold bullion, suspected to be proceeds of crime, was also taken as evidence.

Drugs labs were also intercepted, with a pill press that was able to make 1000 ecstasy tablets per hour minute off the streets.

Assistant Commissioner Hill said Victoria Police would use information uncovered in the Operation Ironside sting to solve at least four murders.

Three of those murders were believed to be mistaken identity hits.

Muhammed Yucel of Keysborough and Zabi Ezedyar of Narre Warren were both killed in 2017.

Ikenasio Tuivasa, a father of five, was gunned down while standing outside a pool hall in February.

Police would not reveal the fourth murder they believed they were able to solve for operational reasons.

Assistant Commissioner Hill said police had also prevented Comancheros bikies killing each other in turf wars after listening into messages on the app.

A computer program was set up to monitor the message and send alerts when it picked up words in messages that suggested a hit was about to take place.

The arrests in Victoria started in February, with the bulk of the suspects taken into custody on Monday.

Special Operations Group police were on hand and all arrests were done safely, police said.

Some of those in custody were now expected to become informants because of the weight of evidence against them.

“There’s at least four murders that we believe the Comancheros Outlaw Motorcycle Gang are responsible for,” Assistant Commissioner Hill said.

“Be the first to come forward and present your case because I’m assuring the people of Victoria that these people will start tumbling like dominoes when they find that we have (evidence) to charge these people with homicides.”

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Originally published as Operation Ironside: Victoria’s Comancheros ‘stopped in their tracks’