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Sunday, January 15, 2017

Australian bikie clubs heading to Capital

Australian Bikie clubs heading to Canberra because of soft laws 

SYDNEY, AU (January 15, 2017) – Bikie Clubs have declared Canberra a “free for all” zone, with one outfit targeting the nation’s capital because of its lack of consorting laws.

The Dutch Satudarah is among a number of Bikie clubs which have been given legal advice that the ACT would be easier to operate out of rather than other states, where tough anti-bikie laws are in place.

The development is a reflection of the “free for all” declaration — which basically means gangs do not need permission from rival gangs to operate in the area, usually a necessary requirement under loose bikie protocols.

SATUDARAH BIKIE CLUB  | FAST FACTS
* Formally founded in the Netherlands in 1990
* Name originated in Indonesia and translates to “one blood”
* Has 44 chapters with 2000 members in 19 countries
* Established in Australia in 2015

On December 3 and 4 last year the national conference of the Comancheros met and trucked in nearly 70 bikes before riding around Lake Burley Griffin in their colours..

Previously, the Rebels were the only bikie club in Canberra, but now the Nomads and the Comanchero club have established clubhouses and the Finks recently held a national meeting there.



ACT Attorney-General Gordon Ramsay confirmed that while the ACT did not currently have specific consorting laws, it did have a dedicated task force called Nemesis to deal with gangs.

“ACT policing, through Taskforce Nemesis, has executed 131 search warrants across Canberra, seizing weapons, cash, drugs and anabolic steroids,” he said. “As of 30 October 2016, 71 OMCG members had been brought before the court, charged with a total of 217 offences.”

However, NSW Police sources have revealed their exasperation at how the ACT situation is hampering their battle against the bikie menace. “A lot of clubhouses have been closed down and bikies are no longer roaming in packs in NSW but it’s frustrating that they can still operate freely in Canberra,” a senior NSW officer said.

“It means they can have their state and national meetings and plan their criminal activities with less fear of being arrested.”



NSW’s tough consorting laws mean the traditional bikie “runs’’ and wearing colours in public had almost vanished.

On its website Satudarah claims to have chapters in Sydney and Glen Innes but the NSW Gang Squad said the clubs’s presence was nothing more than a “cyber” existence, with no clubhouse or even motorbikes.

“They tried to set up in Sydney and we shut them down. The same in northern NSW,’’ Superintendent Detective Debbie Wallace, head of the Gang Squad, said. “We have not seen physical evidence they are active apart from on Facebook.”

Detective Wallace said NSW’s tough consorting laws mean the traditional bikie “runs’’ and wearing colours in public had almost vanished.

Satudarah’s dream of establishing in Sydney was shattered in November 2015 when police raided a Bankstown garage being used as its first clubhouse.