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Cafe strip murder plot and planned killing in suburban home linked to Operation Ironside

Police have revealed details of two alleged murder plots linked to Operation Ironside, including a planned hit with a machine gun by the Comancheros bikie gang in a popular Adelaide cafe strip and an “audacious” plan to kill someone in a suburban home.

Key points:

  • Police allege Comancheros bikie gang members plotted to lure a man to The Parade and gun him down
  • A machine gun uncovered in bushes in Rostrevor has been linked to the plot
  • Police also detailed a second murder plot, also foiled, involving a plan to kill someone in a suburban home

SA Police said the first plot involved members of the Comancheros conspiring to murder a man by “gunning him down” on The Parade at Norwood.

“The alleged victim was to be lured to a restaurant or cafe … and was to be gunned down when he left,” Assistant Commissioner Peter Harvey said.

It is alleged the intended victim was a member of their own gang they suspected of being a police informant.

“The victim, according to our intelligence, was one of their own, such was the loyalty of the group,” Assistant Commissioner Harvey said.

Police said the plot dated back to November last year, but was foiled only after the conspirators had gone to considerable efforts to go through with the killing.

To intercept the plot, investigators “seized a motorbike that was to be used in the alleged offence that was parked in a suburban street and intended for use in the murder”.

But those involved in the plot then stole another motorcycle “and set up the plot to continue”.

Police allege the fully-automatic machine gun was hidden in scrubland in the suburb of Rostrevor by Comancheros members.

“It was hidden in bushes, and it was also accompanied by two fully-loaded magazines, 32 rounds, all set to go,” Assistant Commissioner Harvey said.

“There was also some petrol nearby, gloves et cetera. All the markings of hiding the evidence of the killing after it happened, in other words burning the motorbike.”

A machine gun seized by SA Police.
A machine gun seized by SA Police uncovered in bushland at Rostrevor.

It is one of two alleged murder plots police said they foiled as part of the operation.

“The second plot to murder was just as audacious, violent, and occurred in May this year,” Assistant Commissioner Harvey said.

Police said that in the second plot, three different people attended a home at Rosslyn Park in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs at two different times to kill a person who did not live at the property.

“When a male was arrested in a nearby yard, located near him was a mask and gloves, and eventually as we searched the next day also a fully-loaded pistol, so the intention was to kill the occupant,” Assistant Commissioner Harvey said.

“Most disturbingly – this is very important – the intended murder victim did not even live at the address.”

Police did not comment on who was living at the home, but said that one of the individuals responsible for the Norwood plot was also involved in the Rosslyn Park plot.

Luxury cars and motorbikes seized

At least eight other plots to seriously harm or “maim” individuals were also foiled in SA as part of Operation Ironside, police said.

In addition to the machine gun, a military Steyr rifle and AR-15 rifle were seized along with”other pistols and weaponry”.

In all, 95 people have been arrested and charged with offences in South Australia as part of the three-year joint operation with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

More than half a dozen have been charged with conspiracy to murder.

“The joint AFP-South Australia Police Operation Ironside caused mass disruption to the Comancheros OMCG [outlaw motorcycle gang],” AFP Commander Erica Merrin said.

“As of today in South Australia, we have charged a total of 95 people, shut down three clandestine labs, seized 30 firearms and almost $2 million in cash in the last 18 months.

“On a national level, there have been some very significant individuals based in the jurisdiction of South Australia who we will allege were controlling entities behind significant organised crime.”

Dozens of people faced court in South Australia on Tuesday in relation to Operation Ironside — the largest number of arrests for organised crime in one day in the state’s history, according to SA Police.

More than 450 police searched 80 premises, mostly in connection to the Comancheros.

Police said that among the huge cache of drugs, property, vehicles and cash that was seized in South Australia, more than 300 electronic devices were also taken to be analysed.

Motorbikes seized by police in South Australia.
Fifteen Harley Davidson motorcycles were seized as part of Operation Ironside in SA.(SA Police)

Queensland police make dozens of arrests

Operation Ironside is continuing to play out around Australia, with police in Queensland today executing more search warrants.

In that state, police have so far arrested 38 people, seized 258 kilograms of drugs, five weapons and nearly $6,000,000 in cash, and laid a total of 152 charges.

Police said they had also dismantled a criminal syndicate trafficking drugs and weapons around Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with links to interstate couriers.

QPS Assistant Commissioner Katherine Innes said people like solicitors or accountants who may have helped with money laundering activities were now among those “on notice”.

“Those trusted insiders who assist these businesses of organised crime will come under significant scrutiny into the weeks and years to come,” she said.

A Lamborghini seized by police in South Australia.
This Lamborghini was among several luxury cars seized by police.(SA Police)

Yesterday, authorities announced that across Australia, thousands of police from multiple agencies had executed about 500 search warrants, arrested 224 people, charged them with more than 525 offences and seized 104 guns, some $45 million in cash and tonnes of drugs.

Underworld figures were tricked into communicating via an encrypted app designed by police, authorities have said.

The app, known as AN0M, was used by organised crime gangs around the world to plan executions, mass drug importations and money laundering.

Authorities said they were able to read up to 25 million messages in real time.