By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Police have raided properties in Hampton Park, Cranbourne North and Narre Warren South as part of a city-wide operation against the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang.
Fourteen men were arrested during the 18 Taskforce Echo raids from 5.15am on 2 May – the latest of several recent police operations targeting the Comancheros.
Among the raided locations were Tolpis Lane, Cranbourne North, Springfield Crescent, Hampton Park, Osmington Circuit, Narre Warren South, Chanell Close, Hampton Park, Hillview Rise, Hampton Park and Conferta Court, Cranbourne West.
The latest warrants relate to an investigation of firearm, blackmail, extortion and assault offences, police say.
Police had been specifically investigating shots fired into an unoccupied vehicle and garage in Greenvale on 25 March as well as related allegations of blackmail and extortion.
Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh, of Victoria Police, said police were committed to arresting anyone linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs.
“It doesn’t matter what link you have to OMCGs, if you’re engaging in or enabling criminal activity then police are going to hold you accountable for it.”
Asst Comm Walsh said the Comancheros were traditionally involved in serious and violent crime.
“This criminal activity and the often indiscriminate nature of it represents a severe and unacceptable risk to the safety of our community.
“It puts innocent people’s lives at risk, as we’ve seen recently where we have made appeals for information following mistaken identity shootings linked to OMCGs.”
Two masked men are still at large over a recent shooting at a tattoo parlour in Hampton Park in the early afternoon of 22 February – an ambush linked to the Comancheros.
A man was critically injured while bullets blazed through the walls of adjoining businesses at the Fordholm Street shopping centre.
Asst Comm Walsh urged victims of Comanchero-related crime to report to their local police station.
“We’re not intimidated by (OCMGs) and we will not allow our communities to be.”
Police from Taskforce Echo, Crime Command, Special Operations Group, Critical Incident Response Team, Operations Response Unit, local detectives from North West Metro and Southern Metro Regions and members of the Australian Federal Police took part in the 2 May raids.
Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
