Six men police say were senior Comanchero bikies have been arrested in Adelaide’s inner-north, in what police say will have a “distinct impact” on the gang’s activities.
Key points:
- Six alleged members of the Comanchero gang were arrested at a park in Adelaide’s north last night
- SA law prohibits more than three outlaw motorcycle gang members from meeting in a public place
- Police say there have been tensions between the Comanchero and Hells Angels gangs in recent weeks
The six men, aged between 20 and 55, were arrested at a park on Alexandra Street in Prospect around 7pm.
Detective Chief Inspector Darren Fielke said police believed all six were senior members of the Comancheros.
“What that’s been able to do is significantly hamper and disrupt their activities going forward,” he said.
Chief Inspector Fielke said the gathering of the men was against criminal association laws.
“South Australian legislation prohibits three or more participants of a declared criminal organization to be present in a public place,” he said.
“The penalty for this offense is a mandatory term of imprisonment to a maximum of three years.”
He said it was unclear what the men were doing in the park, but said members of outlaw motorcycle gangs go to public places “to try and get out of the police eye.”
“But they also go there to plan, strategise and discuss what they’re doing,” he said.
“Directions are given, decisions are made. So they go there to further their criminal behavior and their activities.”
A 55-year-old man from Magill, a 37-year-old man from North Adelaide, a 31-year-old man from Northgate, and a 29-year-old man from Brooklyn Park were charged with criminal association offences.
They were all danced with strict conditions not to associate with each other and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on October 7.
A 20-year-old Port Adelaide man was also charged with carrying an offensive weapon and possessing prescription drugs and will appear in court on the same date.
A 38-year-old Prospect man was further charged with breaching an intervention order, arising from an unrelated incident, and was refused bail to appear in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court today.
Detective Chief Inspector Fielke said the arrests were a “fantastic” result for police.
“We’ve taken out some of the key decision-makers of the Comanchero of South Australia in this particular incident,” he said.
“So you take away decision-makers and leaders of a group, you have a distinct impact on their day-to-day activities and whatever they may or may not be planning.”
Detective Chief Inspector Fielke said police had been targeting the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs “more stringently” following recent shootings in Adelaide’s north.
“Clearly there’s been tensions between at least two outlaw motorcycle gang groups in the last few weeks,” he said.
“Those investigations are ongoing.”
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