NSW: Police say probling links between bikie and violence
04 Apr 2009 3:05 PM
SYDNEY, April 4 AAP - Police say they are investigating possible links between a Hells Angels bikie arrested in Sydney and violence that has racked the city in recent weeks, including a fatal brawl at Sydney Airport.
A 38-year-old bikie was arrested in a dramatic daylight operation in Sydney's inner west on Friday with police stopping the man on his black Harley Davidson motor cycle with a loaded gun hidden down the front of his pants.
Police pulled the man over on Garden Street in Alexandria at about 4.45pm (AEDT), and also subsequently raided two homes - in Darlinghurst and Alexandria - after the arrest.
Officers from Strike Force Raptor allegedly seized a shotgun, a bulletproof helmet, a large amount of ammunition, Hells Angels colours and a liquid thought to be a derivative of GBH during the Alexandria raid.
Drug paraphernalia and substances believed to be prohibited drugs were allegedly seized in the Darlinghurst raid.
A Hells Angels member has since been charged with five firearms offences and with driving while disqualified.
A woman arrested during the Darlinghurst raid was issued with a field attendance notice for possessing the drugs ice and GBH.
Detective Superintendent John Alt, from Strike Force Raptor, on Saturday described the arrests as significant, with police expecting to lay more charges in the future.
Supt Alt said detectives were investigating links between the string of violent shootings in southwestern Sydney in recent months and a violent brawl at Sydney Airport which left one Hells Angel associate dead.
"With the weapons seized and the other documents and paraphernalia seized there will be ... other investigations to take place to determine if there is any link for any of the other issues, or in fact, any other criminal offences," he said.
Asked if he was surprised the man was arrested wearing full Hells Angels colours, given the police crackdown on outlaw motorcycle gangs, Supt Alt said: "Clearly, there is a belief among some people that they can continue to commit offences and flout the law".
"If they choose to do that we will be targeting them and at some stage they can expect to get arrested," he said.
"It serves as a warning to all the other outlaw motorcycle members out there that Strike Force Raptor are targeting them."
On Thursday, the NSW government introduced tough new anti-bikie laws, with NSW Premier Nathan Rees saying the gangs had crossed the line with a vicious brawl at Sydney Airport.
The brawl on March 22, between Comancheros and Hells Angels, resulted in the death of Anthony Zervas, 29.
His brother, Hells Angel Peter Zervas, 32, is in a serious but stable condition in St George Hospital after being shot as he sat in a car outside a Sydney unit block last Sunday.
