Omar Chaouk (C), the son of Macchour Chaouk talks to Hells Angels bikers after the funeral for Melbourne crime figure Macchour Chaouk at Preston Mosque on August 16, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia.
Hundreds of police officers in Melbourne stormed about 60 proprieties linked to the infamous Hells Angels biker gang on Thursday morning. Officials seized cash, drugs and guns.
“We’re extremely concerned about the intel we’ve got about the tensions and the intentions of these clubs, and so we thought it necessary to make a pretty strong stance,” Acting Deputy Commissioner Steve Fontana told reporters, according to AFP.
The swooping raid came as new anti-fortification laws were implemented in the state of Victoria, which provide authorities with the right to remove barriers and disable surveillance cameras during crackdowns.
Police said Thursday’s actions are in response to an increasingly violent turf war that has reportedly involved shootouts with automatic weapons. But as Thursday’s crackdown unfolded, authorities admitted they had failed to locate any of the suspected high-caliber arms.
[AFP]