Police seize guns, drugs in crackdown on outlaw motorcycle gangs

LAW enforcement agencies have vowed to continue a relentless campaign to wipe out outlaw motorcycle gangs from Tasmania.

LAW enforcement agencies have vowed to continue a relentless campaign to wipe out outlaw motorcycle gangs from Tasmania.

A massive series of police raids this week by a combined taskforce of national and state agencies resulted in 14 arrests, 100 charges and netted more than $200,000 cash.

Large quantity of cash seized in raids on bikie clubhouses across Tasmania

Police also confiscated 120g of ice worth $120,000, 1.7kg of cannabis worth $18,000 and 133 ecstasy tablets worth $6500.

Notorious bikie Aaron Joe Thomas Graham, also known as AJ, was arrested by Department of Immigration and Border Protection officers at a Mornington address and taken to a NSW jail where he is being held on immigration matters.

The New Zealand-born bikie was a founding member of the Rebels in Tasmania and former president of the club’s Kingston chapter.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Mark Mewis described the bikie as an Australian resident, but with “an unknown immigration status”.

“We don’t want him here, the broader community doesn’t want him here and his removal is an excellent result for Tasmania,” he said.

MORE: REBEL BIKIE AJ GRAHAM FACING DEPORTATION

Federal Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has since cancelled Graham’s visa and he will remain in jail pending any removal from Australia.

Large bags of cannabis seized in raids on bikie clubhouses across Tasmania

“As I have said, I have no tolerance for foreign nationals who are involved in serious criminal activity or are associated with criminal gangs,” Mr Dutton said.

“I have instructed my department to refer cases of serious criminality to me for consideration under the character provisions of the Migration Act.

“This includes foreign nationals associated with, or members of, outlaw motorcycle gangs. I have cancelled this man’s visa and he will remain in immigration custody.”

Graham has a long criminal history for vicious assaults including a sustained torture attack on a teenage insurance fraud investigator in broad daylight on the biker’s front lawn.

Police also confiscated 25 firearms, including three tasers and nine handguns, some of which were loaded.

Every known Tasmanian bikie club was raided in the biggest operation against outlaw motorcycle gangs in the state’s history.

Scores of homes belonging to gang members were raided and assets confiscated in the multi-agency operation. It was heralded as an outstanding success by Tasmania Police and the Australian Federal Police.

Law enforcement officer holds a rebel motorcycle club leather vest seized in raids on bikie clubhouses across Tasmania

The operation began on Tuesday morning when 90 police executed 22 simultaneous search warrants in the North, the North-West and the South of the state. All up, 20 searches were conducted in the South, 15 in the North and 10 in the Western district.

Police also searched eight Risdon Prison cells that house known gang members or associates of gangs.

The operation, more than a month in the planning, finished on Thursday night.

Over three days police and drug detection dogs raided six clubs, 30 residences, three businesses and several cars.

They seized 26 firearms, ballistic vests and tasers, two turtles and a snake.

A film crew was flown from interstate to capture the operation and footage can be seen in the video player above.

More details on the amount of drugs seized and charges laid will be released in coming days.

Two turtles seized in raids on bikie clubhouses across Tasmania

A snake was seized in this week’s raids.

After the operation Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan announced that a permanent AFP National Anti-Gang Squad officer and an Australian Crime Commission intelligence analyst would be embedded with Tasmania Police from July to fight serious and organised crime.

Agencies involved in the operation included the Australian Federal Police, the National Anti-Gangs Squad, NSW, Victoria and WA police, the tax office, Australian Customs and Border Protection and the Australian Crime Commission.

AFP Detective Superintendent Nigel Ryan said the Australian police were no longer “bound by jurisdictional borders”.

Supt Ryan said the Tasmanian operation was “an outstanding example” of how the national gangs squad worked with other agencies to create “the harshest possible environment for these criminal organised gangs who do harm to our communities and have no regard for our societies”.

Police are hopeful much of the money and assets seized will be available for use in further investigations by the newly established Tasmanian Unexplained Wealth Unit designed to investigate bikie profits, said Assistant Commissioner Mewis.

“These are not harmless motorcycle clubs, they are organised criminal enterprises and we will continue to target them,” he said. “We don’t want you here and the broader community don’t want you here.”