Strongarm tactics prove costly

TWO members of the Comancheros have been arrested after another police crackdown on bikies and illegal debt collecting.
A 37-year-old Hallam man and a 28-year-old Tarneit man, both Comanchero members, were arrested by the Echo taskforce and Casey Crime Investigation Unit and are expected to be charged with blackmail and extortion offences.
A 51-year-old Templestowe woman and 59-year-old Greensborough man have also been arrested and are likely to face similar charges.
Police believe the two non-members of the club are creditors who engaged the bikie members to collect a number of debts on their behalf.
Echo Taskforce Detective Inspector Ian Campbell said the arrests should be a warning to anyone thinking of engaging bikies in illegal debt collecting.
“If OMCG members commit offences during the course of this work, the creditors can be held equally responsible for any criminal actions carried out and face charges,” he said.
Today’s arrests follow those on 1 October, when five members of the Comancheros were charged with assault, firearms, blackmail and extortion related offences.
A 30-year-old Dandenong North man, a 26-year-old Glenroy man, a 26-year-old Cranbourne North man, a 27-year-old Mt Martha man and a 29-year-old Gladstone Park man have all been remanded.