Bikies 'cannot hide' as dozens arrested in joint raids
Police in two states have issued a warning to outlaw motorcycle gangs after a week-long raid resulted in dozens of arrests and the seizure of weapons, including 3D-printed firearm parts.
More than 100 specialist officers from Victoria Police's VIPER taskforce and NSW Police's Raptor squad arrested 54 people, laid 173 charges and executed 54 compliance checks and warrants in their annual operation.
The raids, which started on Monday, focused on northeast Victoria and southern NSW.
Victoria Police Detective Inspector Craig Darlow said the joint-operation was to send a message to organised gangs police would be relentless in targeting them wherever they operated.
"No matter where you are, we'll be coming after you," he told reporters in Wodonga on Thursday.
The exercise is one of the biggest the targeted regional areas had seen, NSW Police Acting Superintendent Glyn Baker said.
"(Bikies) move drugs in vehicles, on the highways, between states and backroads," he said.
"If we don't target these cross-border towns, then they've got a free run to take drugs, ammunition and weapons interstate."
NSW authorities on Monday arrested five people in Albury following a car chase, involving an alleged stolen vehicle.
A 29-year-old driver was charged with three offences and a 36-year-old passenger was charged with two offences before he was slapped with an additional 57 drug supply charges.
Supt Baker said those two arrests had put a significant dent in the drug distribution network across the region.
"We know a lot of criminal activity has been happening in Albury, especially with those individuals so taking those two ... out of play will have a great impact on the community," he said.
Two female passengers, aged 23 and 29, were charged with breaching a domestic violence order and possessing illicit drugs, respectively, while a 28-year-old woman was released pending further inquiries.
A 63-year-old senior outlaw motorcycle gang member in Lavington was arrested and charged after officers found drugs, cash and items used for drug supply during a compliance check.
Victorian officers on Tuesday charged a 39-year-old Wodonga man with a series of drugs, theft and weapons offences after they seized a 3D printer, 3D firearm printed parts, various amounts of meth, cocaine and an allegedly stolen motorcycle.
"Some people can't buy them but ... they're able to get a hold of some parts and some parts aren't available so they utilise 3D printers to print parts just to formulate the whole firearm," Insp Darlow said.
Police charged a 43-year-old man with drug trafficking offences after officers located meth and more than a litre of 1,4-Butanediol, also known as the party drug GHB, at his Wangaratta home.
Insp Darlow said criminal organisations and outlaw motorcycle gangs were disrupted by the cross-border operation.
"You cannot hide, and we will not stop," he said.
The operation continues until Friday.
