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The Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) says it has smashed a
major cocaine and ice racket on the Gold Coast linked to Hells Angels.
It comes after a major covert investigation known as Operation Atlanta,
which targeted organised crime in the area.
Four men, allegedly major players in a distribution network that had
links to the Hells Angels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, are facing over 650
separate criminal charges as a result of the investigation.
A 41-year-old has been charged with 244 offences, a 55 year-old property
developer has been charged with 296 offences and a 46-year-old has been
charged with 26 offences.
All three have been charged with trafficking and supplying ice and
cocaine.
The 41-year-old man was also charged with producing ice.
A 55-year-old Gold Coast man was charged by the CCC last month as part of
the operation, with 91 offences including trafficking ice and cocaine and 74
counts of supplying drugs.
It will be alleged the men were involved in an ice production and
distribution site was running out of Tedder Avenue, Main Beach
The wholesale value of the ice is approximately $250,000 but would have a
significantly larger street value after being cut, repackaged and sold.
A range of weapons were also seized during the operation including a pump
action shotgun, rifle, butterfly knife and a taser.
The men were bailed and are expected to appear in the Southport
Magistrates Court on 3 March 2017.
- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/qld/2017/02/18/three-charged-after-major-qld-drug-bust.html#sthash.d01iw07Q.dpuf
Ex-bikie
arrested over alleged money laundering at Gold Coast cold
call company
Six people have been
arrested after two cold-call companies on the Gold Coast,
run by an outlaw motorcycle gang member, allegedly stole
$2.7 million from victims.
Police said the latest
arrest, a 55-year-old man on Wednesday, was involved in
money laundering through companies offering financial
services, which operated on the Gold Coast between late in
2014 and in 2015.
Five other people have
been previously arrested over a range of fraud and money
laundering offences, including a 23-year-old former member
of the Gold Coast Finks motorbike gang and a 37-year-old
computer software developer.
The 55-year-old man has
been charged with laundering about $950,000 and was due to
appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on March 20.
Investigations are
continuing.
NSW Ombudsman recommends
scrapping outlaw motorcycle gang law
Legislation
which allows NSW police to ask the state’s Supreme Court to declare
organisations such as outlaw motorcycle gangs “criminal
organisations” should be scrapped because its requirements are
“onerous, resource-intensive” and prevent police from making
applications.
That is the sole
recommendation in a NSW Ombudsman’s report released yesterday, which
also revealed the police ceased making applications in 2015 and don’t
intend to make any more.
The legislation was
introduced in 2009, and was used in pursuit of the Hells Angels
Motorcycle Club in 2010. A long-term member of the club took a case to
the High Court, and the legislation was changed to make it more
difficult to use.
It makes it a
criminal offence for members of criminal organisations to associate with
each other. Since 2009, the police have taken a number of steps to
obtain declarations against organisations, including establishing the
Criminal Organisation Unit, but no applications have been made under the
amended legislation, which has been in effect since 2012.
The legislation
prohibits certain civilian witnesses and undercover police officers from
participating in hearings, with police finding the majority of
witnesses approached were reluctant to assist.
Police Commissioner
Andrew Scipione told the Ombudsman as part of the review that the police
were working with the government to “determine the effectiveness of the
(legislation)” and in the meantime were employing “alternative measures
that are working effectively to target the criminal activities of
(outlaw motorcycle gangs) and other organised crime groups”.
A government
spokeswoman said that the report’s recommendation would be considered.
ajor cocaine, ice racket smashed in Qld
Updated: 8:28 pm, Saturday, 18 February 2017
- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/national/qld/2017/02/18/three-charged-after-major-qld-drug-bust.html#sthash.d01iw07Q.dpuf