New Bikie Laws Give Hunter Police Greater Power

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Strike Force Raptor officers investigating the actions of Hunter bikie gang members are being given extra powers to tackle criminal behaviour.

Under the new laws, police executing a search warrant on bikie clubhouses will have clear powers to search anyone on site; compel anyone there to reveal their name and address; and compel anyone present to move on.

Police Minister Troy Grant announced the reforms today, saying they'll help police identify suspects and gather evidence on gang members.

NSW already has the toughest organised crime laws in Australia, with measures like Public Safety Orders, Unexplained Wealth Laws and Consorting Laws among those available to police to target outlaw bikie offences.

In April 2018, NSW Police successfully applied to the Supreme Court for Serious Crime Prevention Orders against 10 high-ranking members of the Finks and Nomads who were linked to gang-related public place shootings and violence across the Lower Hunter.

"This is beefing up the Restricted Premises Act," Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald explained, "it follows on from a review in 2016 and we've adopted all the measures from that...it's just giving the police more tools to disrupt and interfere in the business of criminal gangs."

"The police, particularly Strike Force Raptor North have been doing a brilliant job in the Hunter," Mr MacDonald said.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller affirmed officers will continue their "unrelenting crackdown" on organised crime in months to come.

Nomads Bikie Arrested Following Cooks Hill Shooting

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

A member of the Nomads outlaw bikie gang has been arrested at a unit on Darby Street, Cooks Hill, where police found an unregistered firearm.

It comes after officers received reports of a shooting on the street around 2:30am last Wednesday morning, where no one was injured.

Officers from Newcastle City Police District attended and located bullet holes in the exterior of an apartment block.

Following investigations, police searched a 42-year-old man's unit on Friday afternoon and discovered the .45 calibre handgun alongside a beanie with eyeholes cut out.

The Nomads bikie has been charged with several offences as Strike Force Raptor detectives continue their inquiries.

The man is facing Newcastle Local Court today.

Turf War: Hunter Bikie Boss Tells Police "I'm Over It"

BY IAN CROUCH

The state president of the Finks bikie gang has told police he's over the turf war which has gripped the Hunter in recent months.

Fairfax reports Andrew Manners made the blunt assessment to police during a phone call from Goulburn Gaol.

He's asked detectives to set up a meeting with the "big boss" of the Nomads in a bid to end the bitter dispute.

The bikie boss's Chisholm home was targeted in a drive-by shooting last month, with the house sprayed with bullets while his partner and her daughter were inside. Manners had been arrested a week before the attack.

The Police Commissioner is applying to the Supreme Court for a Serious Crime Prevention Order on ten members of the Finks and Nomads - both clubs have opposed the orders in court.

Police argue the orders are necessary to protect the public.

Officers From Strike Force Raptor Have Been Closing Down Bikie Gang Clubhouses Across The Hunter. Picture: Facebook

More Arrests As Bikie Gang Crackdown Continues

BY IAN CROUCH

Senior Police are pleading with the relatives of members and associates of the Finks and Nomads bikie gangs in the Hunter to help them end the long-running turf war.

It follows the arrest of 13 bikie gang members during dawn raids on 31 homes across the region yesterday where weapons, drugs and a python were seized.

The men aged from 19 to 55 have been granted strict conditional bail to face court in coming weeks.

Detective Superintendent Deb Wallace is urging the loved ones of bikie gang members to speak up before someone is seriously injured or killed.

"Mothers, fathers, cousins, grandparents or anyone else that's related to these people, because not only is the conflict now between Nomads and Finks, it's now impacting on community members (and) family members, so innocent people are now getting caught up in this.

Criminal Groups Squad Commander Deb Wallace photo smh.com.au

280 officers raid 31 properties in "relentless" bikie crackdown

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Properties connected to outlaw motorcycle gangs in the Hunter have been raided today as part of a major police operation.

31 search warrants were executed across 10 different suburbs from Muswellbrook to Newcastle, with 280 officers seizing various illicit items such as firearm parts, unlawful weapons and even snakes.

Police said 10 persons are currently in custody and are assisting with enquiries.

The raids come as Strike Force Raptor and Darnay officers zero-in on the Finks and Nomads rival bikie gangs, whose contention has resulted in numerous drive-by shootings and public acts of violence in weeks gone by, at Gillieston Heights, Tenambit and Thornton among other suburbs.

During the Thornton drive-by shooting on March 4th, a 44-year-old man was shot in the leg at his home on Deschamps Close while his child was inside at the time.

Just days earlier, the home of Finks Hunter Chapter President, Andrew Manners was sprayed with bullets.

Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey said the conduct cannot be allowed to continue.

"NSW Police will continue to interrupt and intercept the activities of these two outlaw motorcycle gangs," he affirmed, "We will not tolerate public acts of violence [such as] these drive-by shootings.

"We have been deploying tactical police into the field with Operation Raptor staff to interrupt the activities of these gangs and that will continue."

The Superintendent issued a plea for anyone connected to the crimes to come forward with information, despite the code of silence operating within the gangs.

"If anyone has information from within these gangs," he said,"I know it's going to be a hard road to come to the police...but eventually, either you or someone in your family could be hurt by these activities or even someone who's totally unrelated to the gang, and that will be on your conscience," he asserted.

Criminal Groups Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Deb Wallace, echoed her colleague in declaring police will not give up.

"This dispute has been going on for 16 months...one would say 'are they getting tired of doing it?' it doesn't appear so, but neither are we," Superintendent Wallace said.

"We'll be relentless in stopping and suppressing this activity."

Man Released From Hospital After Thornton Drive-By Shooting

BY IAN CROUCH

A man injured in the latest drive-by shooting at Thornton has been released from hospital.

The 44-year-old was shot in the leg when about 20 shots were fired into the home on Deschamps Close just after midnight on Sunday.

Fairfax reports a child was among those inside the house at the time.

It's the 7th shooting in the Hunter this year linked to the ongoing turf war between the Finks and Nomads bikie gangs - but the first where someone has been injured by gunfire.

It comes just four days after the Gillieston Heights home of Finks Hunter Chapter President, Andrew Manners was sprayed with bullets.

A Forensic Services Officer Marks The Location Of Bullet Holes Picture: Maitland Mercury

Police launch new strike-force following bikie shooting in Maitland

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Police have confirmed this morning's shooting incident at a home in Chisholm was bikie-gang related.

In response to escalating tensions between the Nomads and Finks Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs, Hunter police have announced the initiation of Strike Force Darnay to better monitor local bikie behaviour.

Around 1am this morning, police received reports of gunfire from neighbours and attended a home on Duskdarter Street, Chisholm.

They found the house's facade and a car parked out the front peppered with bullet holes.

It's understood the incident was a drive-by shooting, adding to a spate of crimes committed in the Maitland area over the past month.

Indeed, Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey says within the Hunter region, there have been six bikie-related public place shootings and two attacks involving Molotov Cocktails since January alone.

However, the Superintendent says the community needn't become frightened, due to the targeted nature of the attacks.

"We are very satisfied that this is a targeted attack.

"We believe there is no danger to the community, in terms of 'randomness' of attacks- this is a targeted attack between two groups undertaking this criminality."

Superintendent Humphrey says the crimes are difficult to investigate due to pacts made between gang members.

"They have a misguided code of silence and we've got to try to break that down...these people are victims of crime, despite the fact they may be members of the gang," he said.

Strike Force Raptor Officers from Sydney are still present in the Hunter to aid investigations, and Wayne Humphrey hopes now, with a specific Hunter taskforce, some real progress will be made.

The Nomads' Clubhouse at Islington and the Finks' base at Muswellbrook both remain declared as restricted premises, allowing police to enforce consorting laws.

Cracking down: Detective Inspector Wayne Humphrey announces Strike Force Darnay.