By Dylan Welch
May 3, 2006 - 6:54AM
Police have seized guns - including a Russian-designed
assault rifle - and charged one man with 53 gun related
offences during a series of evening raids on an as yet
unnamed bikie gang in Sydney's west.
From 5.45 yesterday police from the NSW Gangs Squad, led by
Detective Superintendent Kim McKay, along with State
Protection Group officers and local police, hit four
residences across Auburn, Castle Hill and Merrylands,
arresting five men aged between 21 and 32.
Police also seized 14 firearms including semi-automatic
pistols and a Russian-designed SKS assault rifle as well as
a bulletproof vest.
A 21-year-old man arrested at a Merrylands house was charged
with 53 gun offences, including 12 counts of possessing
prohibited firearms and will appear before Burwood local
court today.
Another four men aged between 22 and 32 from Merrylands and
Ermington were all charged with single counts of possessing
firearms and will appear before Parramatta local court
today.
While few details of the reasons behind the raids have
emerged, they follow the recent gunning down of Bandidos
bikie gang's city chapter president, Rodney 'Hooks' Monk.
Monk was shot twice in the head in an East Sydney alley on
April 20 during an argument with fellow Bandido Russell
Oldham, over Oldham's relationship with his parole officer.
Police have refused to say which bikie gang was the subject
of the raids, but an anonymous police source suggested it
was unlikely to be the Bandidos.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/bikie-raid-sees-14-guns-seized/2006/05/03/1146335760865.html