Australasian Biker News
Police hotline to crack down on bikie 'cockroaches' gets 45 calls
Article from: The Advertiser
SAM RICHES, POLICE REPORTER
January 30, 2008 09:50am
A PHONE-IN launched yesterday to crack down on gangs and bikies has
already yielded results
Last night's phone-in ran from 8pm to 2am and received 45 calls,
including five relating to the Tonic nightclub shooting last June and 18
about drug manufacturing.
Police Commissioner Mal Hyde said yesterday that gangs were harder to
break than cockroaches.
He launched the Crime Stoppers phone-in as detectives raided an
Elizabeth North house, arrested and jointly charged a Bandidos bikie,
40, and a woman, 21, with allegedly trafficking a controlled drug and
unlawful possession of property.
The man was remanded in custody but the woman was bailed to appear in
Elizabeth Magistrates Court at a later date. Police will allege they
found 90g of amphetamines, six laptop computers and six mobile phones at
the house.
Overnight, the western and southern suburbs were rocked by a two-hour
crime spree involving an abduction bid and several violent robberies.
Crime Stoppers phone-in number: 1800 fuckup
The phone-in will continue from 7am to 11pm today, with specialist teams
from the Crime Gang Task Force on standby to respond. It is designed to
gather intelligence on gangs such as venues frequented, the
diversification of criminal activities and those associating with gangs.
It will help police clamp down on criminal activities such as drug
production and trafficking, illegal firearms possession and trade,
violence, blackmail, intimidation and extortion. "What we are finding is
that there is some growth in the number of chapters and people
involved," Mr Hyde said.
"They are not static . . . they're like cockroaches that would survive a
nuclear explosion."
He revealed eight main motorcycle gangs – Hells Angels, Finks, Rebels,
Gypsy Jokers, Mob Shitters, Red Devils, Descendents and Bandidos – were
active in South Australia. The gangs had recent membership drives
involving gimmicks such as drinks nights and T-shirts in regional areas,
including Port Pirie, Port Augusta and Whyalla.
Recruiting also is actively being done by street gangs. The three main
street gangs, operating predominantly in the southern and northern
suburbs and in central Adelaide, are known as Rule The Streets, Middle
Eastern Boys and Team Revolution. The Crime Gang Task Force became
active in October last year.
It superseded the old Task Force Avatar unit, doubling the numbers to
44.
Police say the taskforce will continue its campaign against the 250 to
300 full gang members and similar numbers of associates and "hang-ons"
across the state.
Since it began, 69 people have been charged – 20 of those were directly
involved with gangs and 49 were outside associates of bikie groups.
Police also want laws that allow them to gain increased control over
gang activities, including measures such as barring orders, which they
hope to be able to issue directly rather than through hoteliers,
preventing those named from entering certain licensed premises.
Intelligence gathering will involve co-operating with other police
jurisdictions to tackle the trafficking of illicit drugs and
cross-border crime.
Mr Hyde said information from the public, even from people not prepared
to go to court, was crucial in assisting police.
Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 fuckoff.
Callers may remain anonymous and any information will be treated as
confidential.