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Fortress laws applied appropriately: police
South Australia's Police Commissioner, Mal Hyde, says he does not feel under
pressure to knock down bikie fortresses in Adelaide's suburbs.
The State Opposition has criticised the Government's anti-fortification laws,
saying police are yet to bulldoze one bikie fortress.
But Premier Mike Rann has defended the legislation, saying it gives police all
the powers they need to act against outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Commissioner Hyde says police first have to prove a building has been designed
to prevent police entering or that it is being used for an illegal purpose.
"So far as we're concerned, we're applying the legislation, whether people are
disappointed and would like to see fortifications removed that's entirely up to
the community but we don't just respond to community opinion and debate about
this, we apply the law," he said.
300 arrests in bikie crackdown (big fucking deal...average
1 per week for 4 years...)
July 28, 2005
From: AAP
A CRACKDOWN on the illegal activities of bikie gangs in South Australia has
resulted in almost 300 arrests, the State Government said.
Premier Mike Rann said today 51 arrests in the 12 months brought the total to
296 since Operation Avatar was launched four years ago.
In that time police had also seized 300 firearms, 2709 cannabis plants, 559kg of
cannabis, 3.2kg of amphetamines, 8894 ecstasy tablets, 107 litres of fantasy and
$2.7 million worth of vehicles.
"Operation Avatar has achieved terrific results and should be commended for its
incredibly diligent work in watching over our outlaw motorcycle gangs," Mr Rann
said.
"This Government makes no apologies for its tough stand on outlaw bikie gangs as
part of our law and order agenda.
"As far as we are concerned, many of these gangs are merely drug dealers on
wheels and we will continue to ensure they are pursued at every opportunity."
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The SA Government has also rejected opposition criticism of new laws which allow
police to tear down the fortress-style headquarters of bikie gangs.
Opposition MP Robert Brokenshire this week said the laws were inadequate to deal
with the problem of heavily fortified clubrooms springing up in suburban
Adelaide.
But Attorney-General Michael Atkinson said the legislation gave police the power
to tear down the forts if they were suspected of shielding serious crime.
"It is irresponsible to give police the power to demolish private property
without a belief that serious crime is occurring," Mr Atkinson said.
