MELBOURNE’S escalating bikie wars came close to home last week.
Police involved in Operation Resound moved to crack down on known crime figures involved in the Hell’s Angels and Bandidos clubs after the shooting of a known Bandidos enforcer and another man in Melton on March 1.
Police confirmed the armed crime taskforce was investigating a “firearm incident” during which several cars were damaged by a hail of bullets.
Informed sources told the Weekly police also seized drugs and cash at the scene then instigated a number of raids over several days last week.
They arrested seven men last Wednesday after executing 15 warrants at locations across Victoria, including Highview Place at Craigieburn and two premises in Norton Drive, Melton, the scene of the recent shooting.
Items seized in the raids included cash, drugs, an imitation firearm, ammunition, stolen motor vehicles, a stolen Bobcat, caravan, power skis and other stolen property. Hydroponic drug set-ups were also located at several properties.
Operation Resound is drawing on powers extended under legislation introduced last November, giving police the power to apply to the Supreme Court to ban criminal bikie gangs and their activities.
The operation went into top gear after Victoria Police received information suggesting tensions were escalating between a number of clubs, including some based at the Melton industrial park where the recent shooting took place.
A police spokeswoman said links between the Melton shooting and outlaw motorcycle gangs were being examined, but she would not say why the shootings were not being handled by the Echo taskforce formed in 2011 to target bikie gangs and organised crime.
Investigations are ongoing.
Information to Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000
