Public no longer fear bikie crims Coast community ‘stepping up’ to dob in suspected gang members
ryan.keen@news.com.au TOP cops say the public are no longer afraid to dob in Outlaw Motor Cycle Gang members, saying the Gold Coast community is “standing tall” on bikie crime. But they caution incidents of bikie extortion and standover rackets still go largely unreported to police. The number of patched Queensland bikies is at a record low and, according to police, increasing numbers of people are now prepared front up as witnesses to OMCG incidents and report suspected members. The state’s top bikie-busting and organised crime squad boss Detective Su p e r i n - te n d e n t Mick Niland, who last week revealed po l i c e data on patched b i k i e numbers had dropped from 1158 in late 2013 to 696, is praising the public for no longer being intimidated into silence.
“It’s a continuing trend we have seen over the last four years with the community where they see something and are prepared to be a witness now, they’re prepared to make a complaint now in regards to crime gang activity.
“And we are just grateful that is occurring,” Detective Supt Niland said, singling out Gold Coasters in particular.
“The Gold Coast has been the epicentre of this challenge and it’s the Gold Coast community which has stood tall and continues to do so.”
However, the longtime commander of bikie-busting Taskforce Maxima, which is now part of a restructured Organised Crime Gangs Group, said bikie extortion rackets and standovers were still a problem. Many instances were often not brought to police attention by victims, Detective Supt Niland said.
“We are aware of many unreported extortion cases and really implore those victims of extortion to make a complaint to police.”
Detective Supt Niland said he knew it was difficult for extortion victims to come forward “because many are vulnerable persons who are either in debt or vulnerable in that they are a low-level drug offender who owes money to these OMCGs.”
Major Organised Crime Squad Detective Inspector Stephen Blanchfield, who heads Taskforce Maxima’s Tactical Gold Coast team, said he also believed members of the public were increasingly confident about coming forward as witnesses to incidents or reporting suspected bikie crime and criminals.
“The community doesn’t stand for it and they are happy to come on board and let us know who people are.
“I certainly think – and having talked to my colleagues – there is a positive upward trend on the numbers of people inclined to assist.”