Police move to ban Killa Block Squad and 051 members from owning guns
Police say they’ve got a surprise up their sleeve for members of Adelaide street gangs after a spate of violent recent crimes shocked the state.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Taking illegal guns off the streets is the top priority for police fighting Adelaide’s gang war involving people of African descent, with the young criminals set to be banned from owning firearms in the latest crackdown on the deadly conflict.
The Advertiser can reveal police are applying to have a number of KBS and 051 gang members and associates issued with firearms prohibition orders in an effort to stem the flow of illegal guns being used in the groups’ escalating feud.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Scott Duval said the orders would help police prevent further violence and ensure community safety.
“The use of firearms in the community is really concerning,” Mr Duval said.
“As a weapon, obviously it can have fatal consequences so it’s very concerning that during this conflict, or any time people come together when firearms are used.
“The legislation is there to put controls around people who may possess firearms and allowing the authorities that exist under that firearms prohibition order to be used appropriately.
“A big focus on getting firearms out of the community, that’s what it’s about.”
An order can be issued if an individual a member of a gang or criminal organisation, deemed unfit to own a firearm or if it is in the public interest for an order to be issued.
An order bans a person from possessing a firearm, firearm parts or ammunition and from being in the company of anyone in possession of a firearm.
The maximum penalty for a person subject to an order possessing a firearm is a $75,000 fine or 10 years imprisonment.
KBS, also known as Killa Block Squad, and 051 have been engaged in a violent conflict since early 2021, with Operation Meld launched in July of that year to crack down on the warring youths.
Since the operation began, there have been 680 arrests or reports linked to the conflict for offences including robbery, theft, assault, affray, breach of bail and firearms and behavioural offences.
In the past 10 months alone, Operation Meld detectives have seized 15 illegal guns from 051 and KBS members or associates including a 9mm Beretta handgun uncovered during an investigation into the shooting of a 17-year-old Kilburn boy in his home on January 10.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was shot in the leg through his bedroom window while playing video games at about 2am.
The shooting was the first time a victim had been shot since the gangs’ conflict began.
Extra police resources, including Serious and Organised Crime Branch and Crime Gangs Task Force detectives, have been diverted to Operation Meld to investigate the Kilburn shooting.
No arrests over that incident have yet been made.
“If we get information that someone has possession of a firearm, that is absolutely prioritised and the effort we need to put in to find that firearm is again part of that surging of the resourcing,” Mr Duval said.
“Some of that work is done around obviously looking at the people responsible – trying to find the evidence associated with it – but secondly, making these people understand that when you engage in that sort of serious behaviour that the police will come after you.”
On January 13, Operation Meld detectives seized the Beretta handgun and a large amount of Xanax tablets from a Parafield Gardens home as part of their investigation into the Kilburn shooting.
An 18-year-old man was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm, possess firearm without a license, possess ammunition without a license and trafficking a controlled drug.
Mr Duval said police would be “relentless” in working to take guns out of gang members’ hands.
“We’re taking firearms off the streets, we’re taking illicit drugs off the streets.
“All of that work is about improving community safety so if they don’t get access to the firearms because those firearms are now in police hands, then that provides a level of community safety and that’s the work we will be relentless in.
“We will continue to pursue those people where we have information that they’re in possession of firearms, we will absolutely pursue those people that are responsible for the crime.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Police move to ban Killa Block Squad and 051 members from owning guns
Cancelled comic weighs in on Lib’s abortion bid ‘no-brainer’
The comedian who says she was dumped by two Adelaide pubs over her views on gender identity gave her verdict after performing at a women-only event.
Read more
The rubbish rule this council is using to slug locals $312
How quickly do you bring in your bins? It might not be fast enough for this Adelaide council. It’s been laying down the law before bringing in the bucks.
Read more