Police raid Echuca bikie club house

“It is our understanding the Mongols have added the Echuca region to their operations, including the former Bandidos headquarters there,” the spokesman said.

“While the Bandidos are hopefully gone from Echuca, the new alliance has created a strong base for them,” he said.

“But at this stage we are hopeful this will now only be seen as a social location for the gang.”

EARLIER: A MONGOLS bikie gang club house in Echuca was raided yesterday as part of a National Day of Action.

It was one of a series of raids in Melbourne, Southbank, Montrose, Rowville, Tecoma, Elsternwick, Oakleigh South, Pakenham, Carrum Downs, Clyde North, Thornbury, Reservoir and Hoppers Crossing targeting the Mongols Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMCG).

Police arrested six people and seized 14 firearms, as well as cash, explosives and a range of drugs such as cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, steroids and prescription medication.

Police refuse to disclose whether anyone was arrested or anything was seized during the Echuca search warrant on the corner of Darling and Stawell streets.

Those arrested have been charged with a range of drug, firearms, weapons and explosives offences.

Members of the Echo Taskforce, Public Order Response Team, Licensing Records Division, Dog Squad, Bomb Response Unit and local police, as well as the Australian Federal Police National Anti Gangs Squad, were involved in the day of action.

Police also served Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPO) on 12 Mongols OMCG members and conducted compliance checks on a number of existing FPO subjects.

The National Day of Action, co-ordinated by National Task Force Morpheus, involved police from across Australia joining forces on Thursday, December 3, to conduct a series of co-ordinated search warrants and disruption activities targeting the Mongols OMCG.

Crime Command Acting Assistant Commissioner Mick Frewen said it was imperative law enforcement agencies across Australia worked to together to target OMCGs, including the Mongols.

“This is a group we know have traditionally been involved in violent crimes such as shootings, assaults, arson, drug trafficking, extortion and intimidation,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Frewen said.

“These activities bring immense harm to communities across Australia and often significantly impacts innocent people who have no links to the OMCG.

“In Victoria alone, the Mongols have been linked to a number of firearms incidents including multiple homicides and non-fatal shootings over the past 15 months.

“Organised criminal groups such as the Mongols aren’t a state-based problem, they remain a significant issue for law enforcement right across Australia and days of action such as this one provides the ideal opportunity for us to work together to target their offending and also gather intelligence.

“This benefits us by not only immediately removing offenders and their weapons or drugs from the community, but also builds our knowledge to support future investigations.

“It’s important that criminal organisations such as the Mongols are held accountable for their criminal actions and this week shows that police will actively work to disrupt their activities.

“The members of National Task Force Morpheus are committed to disrupting and dismantling the criminal networks linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs and will do everything within their powers to protect the community from the dangers outlaw motorcycle gangs pose.”