Queensland war on bikies empties half of outlaw motorcycle gangs’ clubhouses
This ridiculous little nazi will soon be in his rightful place of ignomy , banished back to his cage where he can resume his faeces throwing with his mates...
- The Courier-Mail
- July 07, 2014
New figures obtained by The Courier-Mail reveal bikies have completely severed ties with 26 of the 46 gang clubhouses operating from the Gold Coast to Cairns.
BUST: Tattoo parlour owner caught
SHHHH: Library banishes bikie girl
LOOPHOLE: How gangs bypass laws
“We’ve cleared them out of more than 50 per cent of their gang houses for good,’’ Taskforce Maxima police commander Detective Superintendent Mick Niland said.
“They’ve terminated their leases and taken all their bikie paraphernalia. They’ve cleared out.’’
In one instance, the Bandidos’ old clubhouse at Caloundra has been given a makeover and is now the Mosaic Art Studio.
The steel and security cameras have been replaced with curtains and classes.
But police concede they have “a long way to go to the finish line” to “permanently eliminate” gang links to 20 clubhouses still listed as “not utilised but not vacated”. While the buildings remain deserted and strictly off-limits to bikies, T he Courier-Mail has revealed besieged bikies are defying the Newman Government’s tough new laws by meeting at members’ homes.
Police are also concerned that because some gangs own their old clubhouses, members will simply “move back in” if they succeed with their High Court challenge to the legislation.
“That is our fear,’’ Supt Niland said. “We are looking at the ownership of these properties with a view to see what action we can take.’’
One of the gangs most affected, the Rebels, own several of their old clubhouses including the one used by the Brisbane chapter at Albion.
Chapter president “Little” Mick Kosenko said the club had owned the building “for decades”.
“It’s disappointing because the club wasn’t only used for our Friday night meetings,” he said.
“We held kids’ parties there, engagement parties, and hens’ nights.”
Police say otherwise.
“They’ve tried to portray themselves as not being criminals but behind closed doors, they were conducting their drug trafficking, extortions and criminal conspiracies,” Supt Niland said.
Two alleged bikies had been charged in Cairns and Mount Isa for being on gang-linked properties.