OFF THE WIRE
Tyron Butson
penrith-press.whereilive.com.au
Bikies have been put on notice by the state government, with tough new laws that will ban them from owning or operating tattoo parlours and give police the power to raid their shops.
BIKIES have been put on notice by the state government, with tough new laws that will ban them from owning or operating tattoo parlours and give police the power to raid their shops.
The crackdown comes after a week of drive-by shootings and violent incidents which police have put down to an ongoing feud between the Hells Angels and the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Two houses with possible Nomad links were shot at early Friday, following a string of attacks on Hells Angels-affiliated tattoo shops and houses.
Premier Barry O’Farrell introduced a range of new anti-bikie laws to cabinet on Monday, including a strict new licensing regime for tattoo parlours which provides police the power to refuse licences based on gang affiliation.
The Crimes (Criminal Organisation Control) Act 2012 will also be amended to add “tattoo parlour operation” to the list of business activities bikies are banned from.
Police will also have the power to raid parlours without warrants, deploying drug detection dogs as needed.
“No one is above the law and we are serious about ensuring police have all the tools they need to bring a halt to the shooting spree which has hit our city,” Mr O’Farrell said.
