A Gold Coast lawyer has accused police of “blatant grandstanding” following raids targeting properties allegedly connected to bikie gangs and drug distribution.
Key points:
- Mr Anderson’s lawyer Michael Gatenby says police raids are a response to the murder of Shane Bowden
- Mr Gatenby says the police arrested his client yesterday over alleged offences that occurred last year
- More than 60 detectives are investigating Mr Bowden’s execution-style killing
The raids yesterday came after the execution-style murder of Finks member Shane Bowden earlier this week.
Lawyer Michael Gatenby claims police have resurrected old drug charges against his client, alleged Mongols member Richard Kevin Anderson.
Mr Anderson, 31, has been charged with trafficking drugs and was granted conditional bail, including that he have no contact with certain individuals.
In the Southport Magistrates Court on Friday, Mr Gatenby criticised the actions of police and said the matters related to raids last year
“They’ve made a complete mockery of the Magistrates Court, suggesting that it’s a personal possession and now that it’s trafficking,” Mr Gatenby told the court.
“It’s a disgrace that he was remanded in custody — it’s blatant grandstanding by the police,” Mr Gatenby said.
Outside court, Mr Gatenby said he believed the police actions were related to the death of Mr Bowden.
“These offences relate to allegations between August and December 2019,” he said.
“They’re not fresh matters — they don’t relate to any of the current events that are occurring and this man ought not to have spent any time in custody.
“The police should have charged him in February.
“Releasing footage of a man being arrested outside his home for events that occurred in December simply should not occur and police need to look long and hard at their current practices.”
Mr Gatenby said police alleged Mr Anderson was trafficking in methylamphetamine and cocaine in August and December last year.
“Presently there’s no evidence that he did anything with the drugs other than use them, which is consistent with what he pled guilty to this year.”
Mr Anderson was given a suspended jail sentence for those matters in August this year.
He was arrested yesterday after police seized steroids, cannabis, cash and mobile phones during a search of a Labrador home.
A second man, aged 30, was charged with five offences including drug possession.
A Queensland Police Service spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment on Mr Gatenby’s comments as the matter was before the courts.
More than 60 detectives on murder investigation
Police alleged both men were members of the Mongols motorcycle gang.
Gold Coast detectives had ramped up their focus on outlaw motorcycle gangs after the execution-style murder of Mr Bowden, a member of the Finks.
The 48-year-old was shot up to 12 times in the driveway of his Pimpama home as he returned from the gym in the early hours of Monday.
More than 60 detectives have been assigned to the investigation, which is liaising with Victoria Police’s outlaw motorcycle gang unit, Taskforce Echo.
Police arrested five people in drugs raids conducted across the Gold Coast on Friday morning.
Detectives said the raids were part of a six-month operation targeting the organised trafficking of cocaine and MDMA on the Gold Coast.
Officers executed six search warrants at properties that included a Burleigh premise with links to the Black Uhlans Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.
Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Procter said the fact that Friday’s raids occurred in the same week as the shooting was a coincidence.
“We planned this probably about three weeks ago, so it would’ve taken some serious foretelling to plan that but no, it’s been planned for some time,” he said.
