Police Minister Jack Dempsey warns that ‘high-profile’ arrests imminent in Queensland’s motorcycle gang crackdown. PIC: Glenn Hampson Source: News Corp Australia
POLICE Minister Jack Dempsey has hinted that a number of “high profile arrests” are imminent in the State Government’s crackdown on criminal motorcycle gangs.
Despite making hundreds of arrests since new laws were introduced targeting members of bikie gangs, no so-called “Mr Bigs” have been caught in the police dragnet.
Nor has the government had to hand over any of its $5 million in reward money posted for information leading to the arrest of criminal motorcycle gang members.
The Crimestoppers website shows that 922 pieces of information have been received from members of the public since October last year.
As a result of that information, 42 people have been arrested but none were proven to be members of criminal organisations.
Mr Dempsey said the lack of any reward payments did not mean the crackdown was failing.
“It’s so successful, we’ve had over 900 reports to Crimestoppers in relation to criminal motorcycle gangs and that is a phenomenal amount,” he said.
“It just goes to show the commitment and the resolve of the community of Queensland to get rid of the scourge of criminal motorcycle gangs off our streets and that information has led to the success of many arrests and I look forward to a number of high profile arrests in the future from the information as well.”
He said there was still a “number of matters before the CMC” and the government would “continue to make sure those prolonged investigations were brought to the fore”.
“Behind any organisational structure there is a coordinated approach and these are the people that we’re going to search long and hard, and we’ve got a steely resolve to make sure we get rid of them out of Queensland,” Mr Dempsey said.
“Queensland is a safe state and we want to make sure not just the people we’re targeting now but the rest of these criminal organisations both nationwide as well as internationally know that Queensland is not a safe place for them to put their roots down.”
