Cops scoff at bikies’ ‘innocence’
THE membership of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang has increased threefold in just the past year, police warn.
In claims rubbished by police, the gang has used its submission to a parliamentary review of proposed new antibikie laws to say they are not involved in any criminal activity.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Tony Cerritelli said that claim was wrong. And Police Minister Michael Ferguson said Tassie was now viewed by the bikie gangs as a soft target.
BANDIDOS membership in Tasmania has increased 300 per cent since July last year, says Tasmania Police.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Tony Cerritelli told the Mercury the outlaw motorcycle gang was one of five gangs recognised by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission as posing the highest threat to Australians and had recently extended into Hobart.
“Their business model in- volves serious violence and drug trafficking and they are constantly trying to expand their numbers in Tasmania to increase their drug-trafficking network,” he said.
The Bandidos have claimed they are not involved in drug dealing or other criminal activity in Tasmania.
The club also “categorically refuted” it was connected with the importation of the drug ice and said its distribution, possession and use was totally prohibited among members.
The Bandidos say under their own rules, any member found to be using or dealing in ice was instantly dismissed.
The club also claims no existing member has engaged in serious criminal activities in Tasmania and the state’s proposed new anti-bikie laws will only drive clubs underground.
Police have rubbished the claims, providing data from September 2016 when a combined federal and state taskforce seized ice, cash and stolen goods from a fortified residence in the North-West linked to the Devonport support chapter of the Bandidos.
“Police intelligence has [also] determined that the proposed leader of a Bandidos chapter in the process of being established in Hobart has two prior convictions for drug trafficking resulting in terms of imprisonment in 2006 and 2011 as well as two Criminal Code assault convictions,” Mr Cerritelli said.
The claims come days before submissions to the State Government’s Organised Criminal Groups Legislation Position Paper are expected to be made public on May 18.
In its submission, the Bandidos said the proposed legal changes, which would prohibit the display of club colours and members from associating with each other, did not address the issues.
The Bandidos also say they will not be legislated into extinction and the commission’s estimate of how much serious crime is related to outlaw mo- torcycle gangs is out of whack.
“The true percentage of serious crime related to OMCGs is less than 2 per cent nationwide,” the submission says.
Police Minister Michael Ferguson said it was important the state pushed through its new laws so Tasmania was not seen as a “soft target”.
Bandidos, Black Uhlans, Devil’s Henchmen, Outlaws and Rebels have chapters in Tasmania.
Police say there are 269 gang members in the state.