Police on the Gold Coast have allegedly uncovered the first of what they believe could be "dozens" of backyard tattoo shops linked to bikies.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Gold Coast Rapid Action and Patrols Police Hub officers raided a house in Upper Coomera on Tuesday morning, finding 35 tattoo guns, 139 bottles of ink, tattoo sketchbooks and magazines.
RAP Superintendent Jim Keogh said it was the first large-scale backyard operation his unit had come across since new tattoo legislation came into effect in July last year.
"I think the message really needs to be in this case that if you do carry on the business of what is really backyard tattooing you will be visited by the police and you will receive substantial fines," he said.
"When you look at these type of operators they're devoid of any health compliance issues as well.
"You run a very huge risk of complications."
The new laws force tattooists and tattoo shop owners to hold a licence and barred anyone with links to a criminal motorcycle gang from operating.
Police allege the 46-year-old Upper Coomera man living at the David Street house has links to the Bandidos and was running a tattoo shop out of a room of his house.
They charged him with two offences under the Tattoo Parlours Act 2013 - carrying on an unlicensed tattoo business and conduct body art or tattoos whilst unlicensed.
But Superintendent Keogh said the discovery was just the first of what was probably "dozens" of tattoo artists operating illegally "on different scales of commercialism".
"What I base that on is the number of tattoo artists, who for good reasons can't get an authorised licence," he said.
"I would suggest there would still be dozens operating, all on different scales of commercialism from doing ones and twos, right up to doing tens and twenties...
"I acknowledge there is a skill in body art, tattooing.
"Rather than turn their back on the skill they're operating from a backyard."
The 46-year-old man, a painter by trade, was fined more than $3400 for the two offences.
Police say he's likely to also face charges over a "minor amount of drugs" found at the property.
"Perhaps he's best served painting houses instead of bodies," Superintendent Keogh said.
