Gerald Lynch
Addresses in Diggers Rest and Sunbury were among those targeted by a national taskforce earlier this month, which resulted in millions of dollars worth of seized substances.
Taskforce Morpheus involved state and federal police, as well as other government entities such as the Australian Taxation Office, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, and Services Australia, to target high threat outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs).
Between August 5 and 9, police zeroed in on drugs, firearms, Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) compliance searches and service, weapons and explosives, with each state and territory proactively targeting their own highest priority issues, with concentrated disruption, enforcement and compliance activity undertaken.
On Friday, August 9, five search warrants were executed in Sunbury and Diggers Rest as part of an investigation into multiple alleged extortions.
With assistance from the Special Operations Group, a 38-year-old Sunbury man was arrested and subsequently charged with two counts of extortion and blackmail with menaces, theft of a motor vehicle, stalking, making threats to kill, failing to comply with conditions of 465 AA order, possessing prescription medication and possessing explosives.
He appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on August 12.
The taskforce also found a clandestine steroid laboratory in Sydenham.
On Wednesday, August 7, a 35-year-old Mickleham man, who is a patched member of the Hells Angels OMCG, was found hiding in the rear axle of an abandoned vehicle in Sydenham.
He was subsequently charged with driving whilst disqualified, driving an unregistered vehicle and trailer, displaying false number plates, possession of a drug of dependence, theft of a motor vehicle, handling stolen goods and possessing proceeds of crime.
He was bailed to appear at Sunshine Magistrates’ Court on November 28.
As part of the operation officers made 106 arrests and 259 charges were laid. They seized 35 firearms, 742 explosives or various types of ammunition and 18 weapons.
In addition, there were more than 740,000 illicit cigarettes seized, more than 900 illicit vapes, about 75kg of looseleaf tobacco and about 125kg of shisha seized.
Taskforce Morpheus chair Jason Kelly said the impact of OMCGs on the community is significant.
“They are motivated by greed and profit and we know that they have a culture of secrecy and intimidation and a greater propensity for extreme violence,” he said.
“Research has found that four in five Australian OMCG members have a recorded criminal history, and they were nearly three times as likely to have contact with the criminal justice system by age 33 as other men.
“This will not be tolerated. Any OMCG member or associate who thinks they can get away with criminal behaviour that puts innocent members of the public at risk should think again.”
