Dominic Perrottet unveils beefed up strike force targeting bikie gangs

Bikie gangs across NSW have been told they have nowhere to hide as the state government beefs up its specialist police task force.

Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the Raptor Squad, which investigates outlaw motorcycle gangs and other criminal enterprises, will now have permanent bases in the state’s regions.

He said the muscled up force will put criminals on notice in every corner of NSW.

“Today we say to bikie gangs across NSW: you cannot hide. The police are coming for you,” he said.

“There is no place for bikie gangs in this state and there is no place to hide.”

The expansion will see an extra 30 staff comprising investigators, Operations Support Group (OSG) operatives, and Traffic and Highway Patrol officers, join the squad to bolster NSW’s crackdown on organised crime and criminal networks.

Since its inception in 2009, the Raptor Squad have made more than 7500 arrests and laid almost 20,000 charges for a variety of offences.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said more than 3000 firearms and close to 1500 other dangerous weapons have been seized by the group.

“Importantly, we have seized more than $20 million in cash, hundreds of kilos of drugs, and other proceeds of crime, which hits these groups where it hurts most – their profits,” he said.

The regional squads will work alongside their Sydney based counterparts along with additional resources, including the National Anti-Gang Squad (NAGS), NSW Crime Commission, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, and other government partner agencies.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson welcomed the announcement.

“Our regional residents need and deserve the same crackdown on criminal groups that their Sydney neighbours get, and we are delivering that with Raptor North and South,” Deputy Commissioner Hudson said.

“Our intelligence suggests that more proactive operations in the Northern and Southern regions of our state are needed to disrupt these group’s activities – we will not apologise for our strong stance on gang-related activity in this state.”

The regional expansion will come into force on Monday.