Police have seized 109 firearms from licensed owners they allege are patch-wearing members of outlaw bikie clubs, an accusation denied by some of the targets of the police raids.
“Victoria Police intelligence holdings identified these firearms licence holders as confirmed patched members” of outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCG), a police statement said after 30 premises were raided.
However, Melbourne radio station 3AW has aired claims that police got it wrong.
A man named Daniel told 3AW he’d had four legally owned firearms seized and said, “I’ve never been associated with a club, I’ve never been a part of a club.”
A lawyer representing shooters told 3AW he had a client who had been targeted in the raids but who was not a member of an outlaw gang, just a member of a regular motorcycle club and the motorcycle industry.
Many motorcycle riders have been unhappy with the so-called ‘bikie laws’, or criminal association laws, especially after claims that social organisations such as the Ulysses Club – a national club for riders over 40 years old, and not remotely considered ‘outlaw’ – had been included on a list of clubs subject to police monitoring.
The lawyer said it was “a media beat-up for PR purposes for the police”.
Those who had firearms seized were judged by police to not be ‘fit and proper’ people to hold a firearm licence, because of their alleged membership of outlaw gangs.
“OMCG members brand themselves as ‘one percenters’, not Victoria Police, and we don’t believe it is appropriate for people with this belief to have legitimate access to firearms,” Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana said.
Firearm owners can appeal against the police if they want to get their guns back, and Daniel said the police had told him he could write a letter to prove he was not an OMCG member.
Most of the firearms taken were registered, but police said “a small number” were not, and one was a concealed pen pistol.
Police foreshadowed more similar raids in the future.
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