Coast police target Rebels gang, Australia

OFF THE WIRE
Rae Wilson | 23rd August 2010
Police check Rebels’ guests as they attend the 20th anniversary of their Kunda Park clubhouse.
Jason Dougherty
SUNSHINE Coast police have made their stance clear and it seems outlaw motorcycle gangs have listened.

Police intercepted about 90 Rebels motorcyclists arriving or leaving the 20th anniversary of the gang's Kunda Park clubhouse over the weekend.

They stopped 494 vehicles in Kunda Park for licence checks, defective vehicle checks and roadside breath tests in two phases between 3pm on Saturday and 3am on Sunday.

Two people were arrested for having a breath alcohol concentration over 0.05% and two others for high-range drink-driving, over 0.15% BAC.

Police conducted 22 drug tests and received two positive results.

Eleven tickets were issued in total, including several minor offences.

Sunshine Coast police have publicly targeted outlaw motorcycle gangs visiting the Coast in recent years.

Superintendent Ben Hanbidge said he was happy with the results of the weekend's operation but police would continue to target bikie gangs.

“If we are aware of a bikie function here on the Coast we will target it,” he said.

“This whole operation was targeting the Rebels function at Kunda Park and those people attending the function.

“We didn't really anticipate any trouble from the Rebels but it's important we continue to target the activities of all outlaw motorcycle gangs that come to the Sunshine Coast.”

Mr Hanbidge said the operation enabled police to identify numerous outlaw bikies travelling to the Sunshine Coast from interstate chapters.

“From an intelligence gathering point of view, these operations are very important,” he said.

“There were no outlaw motorcycle gang members arrested and they were all very well behaved.

“They know they get targeted here so it would be pretty silly for them to travel with drugs or firearms on them

“One of the benefits of having a strong focus on outlaw motorcycle gangs is that perhaps they have that in the back of their minds before travelling here.”