Tasmania Police Detective Inspector Damien George and Australian Federal Police Tasmania National Anti-Gang Squad Sergeant Nick Gibson are dedicated to weeding out Tasmania’s outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Det Insp George looks after the serious crime support area.

“One of the streams in that division is the Serious Organised Crime Unit which consists of investigation teams, we engage with the Australian Federal Police National Anti-Gang Squad, and we’re collaborative with them in investigating criminal gangs, which clearly includes outlaw motorcycle gangs,” he said.

Sgt Gibson’s role was providing all the support of the AFP and Commonwealth Government to Tasmania Police to enable them to counter organised crime in Tasmania.

They said one of the biggest impacts OMCGs had on the community was the import of drugs.

Sgt Gibson said the drugs Tasmania Police or the AFP might seize on streets usually haven’t originated in the state — instead they were often being bought and sold overseas by gang members or associates.

“That shows the level of organisation that these groups manage throughout the world and throughout Australia to be able to get those drugs to here to the streets,” he said.

“They’re not selling to other bikies, they’re selling to Tasmanians that are drug dependant and suffer from the actions of those people trying to make money.”

Sgt Gibson said the AFP was also focussed on identifying where their money comes from, confiscating assets, and stopping the gangs from defrauding the Commonwealth and state govenments.

“We have people now before the court for Centrelink offences and the like, so it’s not just about the drugs, it’s about offending.”

Det Insp George said aside from the direct impacts of criminal activities, these gangs also had a huge affect on the community.

“Every one of these members obviously has a family, they have a father or a mother, they might have a brother or sister, they might have children as well,” he said.

“Their activities impact on everyone one of those people.”

Sgt Gibson said being an OMCG member also impacted the ability of members and their families to travel overseas.

“If a member of an OMCG here decides he wants to travel to the United States with his family, he might find that he arrives in the United State and we’ve provided information about him, and he and his family are refused entry,” he said.

“They’re not going to Disney World with the kids, they’re not going to Thailand ... they’ll be sent back to Australia at their cost. These countries recognise the significance of these people.

“The effect that it does have on the families is a lifelong effect and it’s a whole of life effect, because of his choice to be part of this group.”

Det Insp George said a major issue for members and their families was what happened when members were made to leave a club.

“The standings in the gang when you leave are either a good or a bad standing,” he said. “You leave with bad standing, that debt — and it’s not just a significant financial debt but the debt that you owe that club — will live with you and your immediate relatives and family for a long period of time.

“The threats, the intimidation begin — because you know club business, they are going to make sure that you’re never going to share that.”

Sgt Gibson said tattoos were big with OMCGs, with many owning legitimate tattooing businesses.

“A lot of the time the tattoos are one per cent tattoos, or they’re the club emblem or a slogan,” he said.

“When you’re removed from a group you’re not allowed to wear those tattoos anymore. You’ve lost the right to wear those tattoos.

“It would be a case of you removing those tattoos, or the club will remove those tattoos for you.

“That might be that they get burned off, it might be that they get cut off — all depending on what the club determines is going to be the fine that you’re going to pay.”

They said for many members of the community, even just hearing a Harley Davidson motorcycle or seeing a member in their leather could was intimidating.

“You have 350 of those bikes that roll into your town, then the noise that it is with that in isolation is intimidating, let alone when they park the 350 bikes unannounced in the forecourt of your service station,” Det Insp George said.

“It may well be good for the business at that particular point in time, but what about the locals that are trying to get to that business for the period that they take over?

“They’re intimidating and we’ve all seen them.”

Det Insp George said their message for OMCG members was simple: “We won’t put up with your criminal behaviour,” he said.

“Tasmanians do not need to be intimidated or live in fear.”

Sgt Gibson said the gangs would continue to be targeted.

“And we won’t stop until we can remove them and remove their impact on the state.”

This is part one of a weekend-long series Tassie’s Motorcycle Outlaws, as the Mercury delves into the world of organised crime in Tasmania, revealing the true impact and spread in our state >>

kasey.wilkins@news.com.au