OFF THE WIRE
BY: Anthony Dowsley
Source: heraldsun.com.au
OUTLAW bikie gxxgs have been meeting secretly to plan a fightback against new laws and police raids.Finks enforcer Mick MacPherson, whose luxury Eureka Tower apartment was raided by police last Friday, is touted to become the official spokesman for the United Motorcycle Council Victoria (UMCV).
It will represent most of the 28 motorcycle clubs across the state.
Notorious bikie gxxgs including Hells Angels, Bandidos, Comancheros and Rebels are on the council.
Police sources say it is seeking legitimacy by recruiting law-abiding clubs such as the God Squad and Vietnam Veterans.
The Herald Sun can reveal MacPherson and members from other clubs are meeting fortnightly and reporting to other bikies around the nation.
At its last meeting at a Brighton hotel, members of the newly formed UMCV abused and threatened staff and police had to be called.
At a court hearing on Friday, MacPherson was given bail by a magistrate after he was arrested during raids on the Finks' Port Melbourne clubhouse and his rented luxury 38th floor apartment with panoramic views across the city.
Police executing the search warrant allegedly discovered gun paraphernalia and also found MacPherson was suffering from a gunshot wound to the stomach.
Australian Federal Police, assisted by the Echo Taskforce, are investigating MacPherson over a 1.1kg stash of cocaine that entered the country in August.
It was seized from air freight, which arrived in Sydney about the same time as MacPherson was shot in the stomach and turned up at a Victorian hospital.
MacPherson refused to co-operate with investigators about his gunshot wound.
The martial arts expert was said to be annoyed the shooting had interrupted his "ultimate fighting matches".
MacPherson arrived in Melbourne last month from Adelaide after a battle with the South Australian Government over anti-bikie laws.
He was placed on a control order as part of that state's crackdown, but was instrumental in having the laws scrapped in a legal row that reached the High Court.
Victoria did not introduce anti-association laws, which were considered unconstitutional.
But the State Government is working towards a suite of laws to clamp down on outlaw motorcycle clubs involved in organised crime.
Premier Ted Baillieu campaigned for tougher laws at the last election to deter bikie clubs from setting up in Victoria, declaring the state had become a haven for bikies fleeing other states.
Queensland's UMC spokesman Russell "Camel" Wattie said the Victorian council was preparing to fight for their "rights".
"Yes that's right, they're established and meeting fortnightly," he said.
"They're talking about issues down there to fight Ted Baillieu's hard line.
"They are noticing an increase in police attention.
" We need to be prepared ... as soon as the government makes a move."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/bikie-gangs-secretly-planning-to-fight-crackdown/story-fn7x8me2-1226124884429
