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The Advertiser can reveal the South Australian branch of the national anti-gang squad helped charge 68 people with 92 offences in the state at the end of 15 months of operation.
The first publication of the results also shows the team comprising members from SA Police, Australian Federal Police and the Australian Taxation Office, have seized $385,000 and eight firearms.
The Crime Gangs taskforce officer in charge, Detective Chief Inspector Scott Fitzgerald, labelled the results “very pleasing” given South Australia is the last of all states to have established such a specialist team.
“This cooperative and co-ordinated focus on tackling organised crime in South Australia will continue to strive to significantly reduce the overall impact of organised crime across Australia,” said Det Ch Insp Fitzgerald, who is also the head of the Serious and Organised Crime Branch.
An analysis by The Advertiser shows the SA squad has been punching above its weight for arrests and cash seized compared with other states.
Since the National Anti-Gangs Squad was officially launched in 2014 with teams in along the eastern seaboard, results to July 31 show it has led to about 1000 arrests, 3000 charges laid as well as more than 5500 guns and almost $8 million in cash seizures.
Queensland has the most charges with 1637, while New South Wales and Western Australia top the nation for the most cash seized at $3 million and $2 million respectively.
Victoria has the most firearms seized. Justice Minister Michael Keenan said the national squad was leading the fight against the scourge of Adelaide-based Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.
He said: “Our resolve to work with state and territory police to safeguard Australians has ever been stronger. There are an estimated 40 Outlaw Motorcycle Gang clubs in Australia, comprised of about 435 chapters.
“These are not misunderstood or a community-minded brotherhood — they are organised criminal gangs that rely heavily on the illegal drug market to make a profit, and have no regard for the pain and damage they leave in their wake.
“We are not backing off targeting these groups; this is why last year we committed an additional $39 million in funding to expand and extend NAGS operations into 2019 to keep these criminal gangs firmly on the back foot.”
Last year the Federal Government announced funding for the establishment of a Strike Team in Adelaide.
A NAGS liaison officer has been working within the local gangs team since January 2014.
