OFF THE WIRE
Police will be able to destroy fortifications used to conceal criminal activity
in gxxg properties under a state government crackdown on outlaw motorcycle
groups.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton said police had already
identified the club houses of six outlaw motorcycle gxxgs, with the feuding
Bandidos and Hells Angels at the top of the list.
Under proposed new
laws, which will be introduced into state parliament today, police can apply to
the Magistrates' Court to have fortifications such as night-vision cameras and
reinforced walls removed from gxxg property.
Mr Ashton said the laws
would help police keep their "foot on the throat of organised crime
groups".
"It will provide another important piece in our arsenal against
organised crime," he said, adding it would complement anti-association laws
activated last month which can ban bikie members from associating with each
other.
Importantly, Mr Ashton said the new laws would ensure police swift
entry into club houses when executing search warrants.
"We do have the
powers to do search warrants at the moment and when we do that we get access to
the premises. But quite often that delayed access does create a barrier which we
believe can allow evidence to be destroyed."
He said he hoped removing
fortifications would also make the community feel less intimidated from bikies
and curb the threats between feuding gxxgs, as they would no longer be protected
in their bunker-like club houses.
Premier Denis Napthine said criminal bikie
gxxgs would have nowhere to run or hide.
"This is a very real crackdown
on criminal organisations and criminal bikie gxxgs in this
state."
Attorney-General Robert Clark said criminal bikie groups were
using fortified properties to frustrate and delay police from lawfully entering
a property, while evidence was destroyed.
He said he was confident the
laws would withstand any High Court challenges by bikie gxxgs.
The
Magistrates' Court will be able to order the removal of any structure of device
that could hinder uninvited entry beyond what is necessary to provide security
for the ordinary use of the premises.
Fortified structures include
physical barriers and electronic surveillance devices such as night-vision
cameras and motion sensors.
Superintendent Peter Da Santo said since
March 6 police had raided 29 outlaw motorcycle gxxg club houses and arrested 15
men.
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/new-laws-to-crack-down-on-bikie-defences-20130417-2hzfq.html
