Australasian biker news
Shootings stun pub patrons
Paul Anderson
06feb06
POLICE are amazed that no one was
wounded or killed when a shot was fired through a glass door at a South
Melbourne hotel yesterday.
The shot was fired after a dispute
between patrons outside the Golden Fleece Hotel in Montague St about 1.20am.
Sen-Det Patrick Bell, of South Melbourne CIU, said there were up to 20
people outside and more inside when the gun was fired.
"There has been a dispute between
patrons at the front of the hotel, and a man has produced the handgun and
fired a shot into the front door of the hotel," Sen-Det Bell said.
"There were quite a few people there
at the time.
"It was extremely lucky (no one was
hit).
"It was a small pistol and fully
loaded."
Two men from inside the hotel tackled
the gunman, who dropped the weapon. A car appeared and the gunman was driven
from the pub.
Police are appealing for the two men
and any other witnesses to contact them.
In an earlier incident, an altercation
at the Union Hotel in Brunswick ended with one man being shot.
Armed offenders squad detectives are
investigating the incident during which the man, said to be a motorcycle
gang member, was shot in the leg about 9pm on Saturday.
It is believed up to three shots were
fired at the man who was standing outside the Union St pub after a dispute.
The victim, aged in his 40s, was taken
by ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital.
It is believed he is unlikely to make
an official complaint to detectives.
While the armed offenders squad has a
designated crew to tackle gun trafficking, Customs officials last week
seized a smuggled Glock pistol after receiving information from the
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.
The semi-automatic pistol was found in
sea cargo sent from the United States.
Following the discovery, Customs
officials raided a property in Moe and questioned a 40-year-old man over an
attempt to illegally import the gun into Australia. Charges are expected to
be laid.
Customs regional director in Victoria,
Jaclyne Fisher, said of gun smuggling: "Customs will continue to be vigilant
to prevent illegal firearms entering the country and will investigate and,
as appropriate, prosecute offenders."
The maximum penalty for importing
firearms without permission is a $275,000 fine and a possible 10 years'
jail.
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