‘Powerful tool’ can put bikie WAGs in hot seat
BIKIES’ wives and girlfriends could be hauled in for questioning under the threat of jail if they don’t answer questions about their partners’ criminal activity.
As Australia’s bikie wars intensify, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission has been holding powerful interviews.
One drug-trafficking suspect who had links to bikie gangs was jailed indefinitely for refusing to answer questions in a secret crime authority interview.
The long-term associate of criminals also has links to corrupt dock workers, surfer gang
the Bra Boys, and major international crime groups.
The Federal Court has found the man in contempt for refusing to answer questions from ACIC.
The witness can get out of jail within 24 hours, but only if he answers seven questions about a major criminal syndicate. If he stays silent he will be locked up for life.
The witness, whom police suspect has been involved in crime for 20 years, refused to answer seven questions about a “burner” phone used by a criminal referred to in court documents as “Mr X”.
The Google Pixel 4A phone the witness received from Mr X had the ANOM app installed – a criminal messaging service that was monitored by the AFP and FBI.
Almost 1000 people have been arrested over evidence gleaned from 28 million messages intercepted on the app, which included murder plots and major drug deals.
Family members, business associates, accountants and bikies themselves have been targeted in the forensic investigations by ACIC.
The coercive hearings compel people to answer ACIC’s questions, or be sent to jail until they do.
“There’s nothing like putting pressure on an individual by questioning, legitimately questioning, their family and others around them, who may be living off the illicit profits that are being gained from criminal activity,” said ACIC chief executive Mike Phelan.
Bikie clubs have a code that demands club members do not co-operate with police – even if they were a victim of crime – and any co-operation with police can lead to payback attacks.
Some have spent months, even years in jail without charge because they refused to provide information in the secret hearings.
Mr Phelan said coercive hearings were a “powerful tool”.
ACIC cannot name those who have been grilled in a coercive hearing, nor can they reveal how many were currently in jail for refusing to answer questions.
Australia’s drug industry is estimated to be worth $10bn per year, and outlaw motorcycle gangs control at least $3bn of that market.