Weekend raids on the Gold Coast that netted one of Australia's most wanted alleged crime bosses would not have been possible without the government’s VLAD laws, Police Minister Jack Dempsey says.
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Of the 152 people charged over the three days, 37 have been identified as members of criminal motorcycle gangs, including the Bandidos, Rebels, Finks, Highway 61 and Lone Wolfs.
Police have confirmed that two people have been charged under the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act, a sentencing regime which adds up to 25 years to any prison sentence handed out by a court, if a jury finds the perpetrator committed their crime “for the purposes of, or in the course of participating in the affairs of, the relevant association".
The legislation makes clear that the extra punishment is mandatory and cannot be reduced by the sentencing court. Parole does not apply to the extra punishment unless the associate cooperates with law enforcement authorities – which means relaying information on the club’s and its members’, activities.
The Gold Coast raids were the culmination of an operation named Kilo Fraction, which began in August 2012.
Mr Dempsey said it was the government’s laws which allowed the raids to take place, but would not confirm whether information provided by previously arrested criminal motorcycle gang members aided police.
“We have seen the new laws, the VLAD laws, impact on these criminal gang members like never before,” Mr Dempsey said.
“We’ve got these so-called tough guys ratting and dobbing in on each other and obviously they understand that it is no longer a badge of honour to go to prison for a few years, because they’ll be going in for a long time and Queenslanders will certainly be safe because of it.
“... There is certainly a number of these low-life criminal gang members who are certainly giving valuable information every day to police and assisting to be able to get rid of these vermin that pray on the most vulnerable members of our community.
“There is still more to do, but it sends a clear message to these criminal gang members, it doesn’t matter what rock they hide under we’re going to be coming after you.
“The police have the resources and the legislation, you can either change your habits or get out of Queensland because it is not just the police, it is the community of Queensland and the businesses saying ‘we have had enough of this criminal element’.”
