Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
Identify a range of legal and non-legal responses to OMCGs
Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs) is a contemporary issue that engulfs Australian society. What makes prosecution of such gangs so complex is the strong foothold that gangs have in organised crime and the façade that is worn in order to evade the eyes of the law. Various responses have been implemented in order to cease all violence and more importantly disenfranchise organised crime and prosecute those within the illegal syndicates. Legal responses put into act are: task forces and intelligence and lastly, targeting the organisation and membership. The non-legal responses on the other hand are, the media and the formation of political parties. OMCGs in Australia are seen to be organised crime syndicates which operate or have ties to; trafficking illegal firearms, fraud, extortion, prostitution and tax evasion. The most prominent OMCGs, which are known to be involved in such acts, are the Hells Angels, Comancheros and Banditos. Naturally, because of the various different gangs, tension and rivalry is ever present- such rivalry that serves as fuel to ignite the fire of violence. In order to counteract such heinous violence that has occurred (most prominently the Milperra Massacre of 1984 and murder of 29 year old Anthony Zervas) certain measures must be put into play. The legal approach of task forces and intelligence is a key feature which has proved to be highly efficient in the prosecution of OMCGs. The most prominent of the task forces is the “Serious and Organised Crime Intelligence Task Force. This task force has a strong focus on OMCGs and works collectively with other agencies in different Australian jurisdictions. Because of this, in April 2009, more than 50 arrests had been made, 120 charges laid and substantial quantities of amphetamines and firearms seized.
Probably the most controversial approach to OMCGs is the introduction of laws that target or criminalise the clubs themselves rather
Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs) is a contemporary issue that engulfs Australian society. What makes prosecution of such gangs so complex is the strong foothold that gangs have in organised crime and the façade that is worn in order to evade the eyes of the law. Various responses have been implemented in order to cease all violence and more importantly disenfranchise organised crime and prosecute those within the illegal syndicates. Legal responses put into act are: task forces and intelligence and lastly, targeting the organisation and membership. The non-legal responses on the other hand are, the media and the formation of political parties. OMCGs in Australia are seen to be organised crime syndicates which operate or have ties to; trafficking illegal firearms, fraud, extortion, prostitution and tax evasion. The most prominent OMCGs, which are known to be involved in such acts, are the Hells Angels, Comancheros and Banditos. Naturally, because of the various different gangs, tension and rivalry is ever present- such rivalry that serves as fuel to ignite the fire of violence. In order to counteract such heinous violence that has occurred (most prominently the Milperra Massacre of 1984 and murder of 29 year old Anthony Zervas) certain measures must be put into play. The legal approach of task forces and intelligence is a key feature which has proved to be highly efficient in the prosecution of OMCGs. The most prominent of the task forces is the “Serious and Organised Crime Intelligence Task Force. This task force has a strong focus on OMCGs and works collectively with other agencies in different Australian jurisdictions. Because of this, in April 2009, more than 50 arrests had been made, 120 charges laid and substantial quantities of amphetamines and firearms seized.
Probably the most controversial approach to OMCGs is the introduction of laws that target or criminalise the clubs themselves rather