UPDATE:
A 50-YEAR-old North Geelong man was bailed by police to appear at Geelong Magistrates’ Court in September for failing to appear at court, following raids of Rebel bikie haunts across Geelong Melbourne Tuesday morning.
Police arrested 13 people this morning following a series of early morning raids across North Geelong, Whittington, Melbourne and Traralgon.
Twenty-two warrants, targeting the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and associates, were executed as investigations into the death of Michael Ali Sleiman on Australia Day continue.
More than 300 police swooped on seven clubhouses and a number of private addresses connected to the Rebels.
Of the 13 arrested, five men who are members and or associates of the Rebels MC were to be interviewed in relation to the Deer Park homicide.
Eight others were arrested in relation to drugs and firearm offences, for breaching parole and for theft of motor car offences.
Drugs, including a quantity of white powder, vials believed to be steroids, ammunition, a firearm, a number of vehicles including a caravan and motorbike and a range of prohibited weapons have been seized from a number of metropolitan and rural locations.
The operation involved Echo Task Force and Homicide detectives along with police from Crime Command, regions, Special Operations Group, Dog Squad, Operations Response Unit, Airwing, Transport Branch, Intelligence and Covert Support Command and forensics.
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EARLIER:
Police staged pre-dawn raids across Geelong, Melbourne and Traralgon this morning targeting the Rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.
The pre-dawn raids were executed at 6am and saw police arrest a number of people while executing more than over 20 simultaneous warrants related to firearms and illicit drugs.
The operation was part of ongoing investigations into the death of Michael Ali Sleiman on Australia Day.
Homicide Squad detectives investigating his death said men believed to be involved have associations with and or are members of the Rebels MC.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said Victoria Police would not tolerate bikies and or their associates using their position, to intimidate, threaten and or cause fear, within the community.
“We do not see the death of this young man as bikie v bikie,” Assist Comm Fontana said.
“It appears that members of the Rebels and their associates have used their standing as being part of an OMCG against a member of the community.
“This is about community safety; there is no place in our society for those that think they can seek their own justice.
“The Victoria Police operation today is also an example of our strong commitment to the Attero National Task Force which is focused on disrupting, disabling and dismantling the criminal activities of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang.
“The community need to be aware that these OMCGs are not motorcycle clubs, they are well organised criminal gangs involved in serious and organised crime, causing harm and disruption across our country.”
The 23 warrants included seven clubhouses at North Geelong, Sunshine, Dandenong South, Kilsyth, Sunbury, Travencore and Pakenham.
The warrants were executed at clubhouses and private properties linked to members of the Rebels OMCG and their associates.
Echo Task Force detectives together with Homicide Squad investigators, Crime Command, AFP, National Anti-Gangs Task Force, Australian Customs and Border Protection, specialist units and local police were all involved in the raids.
Taskforce Echo was set up by Victoria Police to specifically target OMCG activity in 2011 and has made a significant number of arrests in relation to a wide range of offences.
The role of Taskforce Echo includes proactive targeted disruption of criminal activity as well as ongoing investigation of major crimes such as drug trafficking, illegal firearms, serious assaults and licensed premises.
Homicide Squad detectives have charged four men with murder over the death of Mr Sleiman in January this year.
