22 March 2018

Police seize guns, drugs and cash in show of force against bikie gangs

| Ian Bushnell
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Taskforce Nemesis. Photo: ACT Policing

ACT Policing’s Criminal Investigations Taskforce Nemesis has seized guns, ammunition, drugs and cash during raids on bikie-related properties in Canberra on Wednesday (21 March) as part of a National Day of Action targeting Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs).

The raids came days after a man was shot in Chifley in what police called a brazen, bikie-related attack.

Taskforce Nemesis officers executed seven search warrants in Canberra resulting in the seizure of:

  • 3 x firearms
  • 270 rounds of ammunition,
  • over $50,000 in cash, suspected to be proceeds of crime
  • approximately 28 grams of a substance believed to be methylamphetamine; and
  • approximately 12 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine.

Police will charge a 35-year-old Bonner man with firearm-related offences, and he will appear before the ACT Magistrates Court at a later date.

Deputy Chief Police Officer Crime, Mark Walters said disrupting the illegal activities of criminal gangs was a priority for ACT Policing.

“This action is just one part of our ongoing efforts to disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs in our community. Taskforce Nemesis, supported by every ACT Policing officer, continues to focus on serious and organised crime and apply pressure to members of criminal gangs,” Commander Walters said.

“We will continue to work collaboratively with our state, territory and Commonwealth partners to address the threats posed by criminal gangs.”

The National Day of Action was led by Operation Morpheus, the national Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs taskforce. Taskforce Nemesis is a dedicated team within ACT Policing’s Criminal Investigations that targets the criminal activity and unlawful wealth of criminal gang members in order to disrupt and dismantle their criminal operations.

Chief Police Officer for the ACT Justine Saunders said “it is essential that we send the message that the ACT is a hostile jurisdiction for criminal gangs.”

“Community safety is paramount, and we will continue to work with the Government on legislative reform to prevent and deter serious and organised crime and associated firearms-related violence in our community,” she said.

“Whilst I fully support the principles of the Human Rights Act that we operate under here in the ACT, I will continue to pursue legislative reform that is proportionate to the threat that serious and organised crime presents to our community.”

Police urge anyone who may have any information about criminal gangs that could assist police to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Information can be provided anonymously.

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