Ex-Bandidos chapter president arrested
- 1 hour ago February 11, 2015
A FORMER president of the Bandidos bikie gang
has been arrested after returning to Australia from Thailand.
BRETT Pechey, once the boss of the gang's West End chapter, was taken into custody on Wednesday morning after touching down at Brisbane International Airport.
The 26-year-old has been charged with offences including extortion, threatening violence and stalking.He has also been charged over a 2013 bikie brawl at Broadbeach, an incident credited with inspiring tough anti-bikie laws brought in by the former Newman government.
Pechey's arrest follows police dawn raids across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Logan in March 2014.
These raids led to the arrests of nine Bandidos members.
At the time, police alleged members of the gang's West End and Centro chapters were extorting money and property.
They claim victims were threatened and seriously assaulted by the gang members, who approached them at gyms and other locations.
One victim required facial reconstruction surgery after suffering a broken nose, a fractured eye socket and chipped teeth.
Others were reportedly threatened with a handgun and a baseball bat, or forced to set up direct debit payments to the gang.
Police also say offenders threatened a victim in a bid to collect a business debt for a large building firm.
Pechey is expected to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday