UPDATE, 3.40pm: HEAVILY-armed police have raided five Hunter properties on Wednesday with links to the Finks bikie gang as they investigate a wild brawl at a Wallsend pub last week.
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The simultaneous raids on properties at Cameron Park, East Branxton, Lambton, Thornton and Kearsley were conducted before 8am on Wednesday.
The Cameron Park property is believed to be the Finks clubhouse.
It follows the raid on a Maryland property on Tuesday, although that property has no links with the Finks.
The raids follow a brawl in the carpark of the Fire Station Hotel at Wallsend last Friday afternoon, where men with links to the Finks were allegedly involved in a melee with several other men.
A hotel spokesman said the men, who were not locals, had been wearing board shorts and t-shirts when they walked outside.
An employee followed them soon after and, after seeing the brawl, told them police would be called.
Police said that following the Maryland search warrant, a 40-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday today and charged with acquiring ammunition whilst being subject to a firearms prohibition order and being in possession of ammunition without a licence or permit.
He was bail refused to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday.
As a result of Wednesday’s search warrants, police seized a number of items including ammunition and electronics.
Newcastle local area commander, Superintendent John Gralton, said police were committed to keeping the community safe and would take whatever action was necessary to identify and hold people responsible for their actions including members of any criminal group or outlaw motorcycle gang.
“The community should be assured that they have the support of the NSW Police Force,’’ he said.
“This is evident in the assistance provided by the State Crime Command’s Gangs Squad, Strike Force Raptor, Public Order and Riot Squad, Northern Region Operation Support Group, Central Hunter, Hunter Valley, Port Stephens and Lake Macquarie Local Area Commands.
“We will not tolerate the violent actions of a minority that place our community in fear or danger.
“Police will take action required to identify, target and disrupt organised crime groups who have a total disregard for the safety of our community.
“We will not only target OMCG members but any criminal networks conducting criminal activities in our area.’’
Northern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Jeffrey Loy supported the operations stating: “We are dealing with criminal networks that profit from illegal activities. We will maximise our resources and intelligence gathering to ‘disrupt and dismantle’ any criminal organisations operating across the Northern Region. We will not only target OMCG members, but their associates, business interests and their clubhouses.”
More to come
