Rebels
arrested
in
police
operation
January
18,
2008
-
5:41PM
Seven
men,
all
members
or
associates
of
bikie
gang
the
Rebels,
have
been
arrested
as
part
of
an
11-month
Queensland
police
operation
targeting
outlaw
motorcycle
gangs.
Operation
Foxtrot
Leach,
carried
out
with
the
Crime
and
Misconduct
Commission
(CMC),
began
last
February
following
a
series
of
violent
clashes
between
the
Rebels
and
rival
motorcycle
gang
the
Bandidos.
Queensland
police
last
year
charged
three
Rebels
after
they
shot
at
and
attacked
Bandido
gang
members
with
baseball
bats
and
pieces
of
timber
on a
road
at
Bribie
Island,
north
of
Brisbane,
on
February
25.
The
Bandidos
had
been
returning
from
a
barbecue
at
the
time.
Following
further
investigations,
police
today
executed
a
number
of
search
warrants
across
across
Morayfield,
Sandgate,
Burpengary,
Brighton,
Virginia
and
Caboolture.
Six
men,
aged
from
31
to
49,
were
charged
with
offences
including
grievous
bodily
harm,
going
armed
in
public,
perjury,
dangerous
operation
of a
vehicle
and
possession
of
drugs
and
ammunition.
Another
man,
50,
was
arrested
but
police
are
yet
to
lay
charges.
Two
of
the
men
charged
today
had
previously
been
charged
over
the
February
25
incident.
Six
men
are
due
to
appear
in
Brisbane
Magistrates
Court
tomorrow.
Detective
Chief
Superintendent
Ross
Barnett
said
the
arrests
were
a
pleasing
result.
"Outlaw
motorcycle
gangs
will
be
treated
no
differently
to
other
crime
groups
in
the
community,"
he
said.
"Their
criminal
activities
will
not
be
tolerated
and
when
feuds
between
them
risk
the
safety
and
security
of
the
public,
we
will
not
hesitate
to
act."
Police
have
now
closed
the
operation.
