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Wangaratta's Tramps bikie group leader Ronnie Harding busted with ice

CLUB MAN: Tramps president Ronnie Harding during his legal battle to keep his firearms licence two years ago.

CLUB MAN: Tramps president Ronnie Harding during his legal battle to keep his firearms licence two years ago.

The alleged former boss of a Wangaratta bikie group has been thrown in custody for the second time in nine months, accused of further involvement in drugs.

Ronnie Harding was at the Glenrowan BP service station at 3am Tuesday morning when he was stopped by police.

Senior Constable Matt Finger, of the Wangaratta divisional tasking unit, said Harding had what police believed was a small amount of methamphetamine in the car.

“He was found in possession of multiple mobile phones, which was in breach of his bail to only have one,” he said.

Police raided his properties in Glenrowan and Wodonga, again seizing what they believed to be the drugs ice and cannabis.

Harding was charged with possessing methamphetamine, ice and cannabis, dealing with cash believed to be proceeds of crime, driving while suspended and committing all those offences while on bail.

He appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, but did not apply to be released.

Prosecutor Mario Eliades asked for the case to be adjourned until next week.

“Mr Harding is an unacceptable risk (of reoffending if released on bail), as deemed by the prosecution,” he said.

Barrister Allison Vaughan said the man’s usual lawyers in Melbourne could not be contacted before his court appearance in Wangaratta.

“Mr Harding was seen by the police medical officer and there were some medications organised,” she said.

Family members yelled out “love you” as police led Harding back into custody.

He is known in the Wangaratta community as president of the Tramps Motorcycle Club, but told the court in January the club had been shut down two years ago.

Harding was initially arrested in January when police found loaded shotguns, pen pistols, drug recipes and a large haul of drugs at his home, and six kilograms of explosives and detonators at the nearby Tramps clubhouse.

He has pleaded not guilty to allegations of trafficking.

The new charges were in breach of his bail.

The married father-of-two had stayed out of legal trouble since his release from custody in February and was just three weeks away from a committal hearing in his case when he was arrested on Tuesday.

Senior Constable Finger opposed Harding’s bail in February because he believed he was sourcing drugs from Hells Angels bikies.