VIC: Ironside South-Apollo (case study)
Main overview case study
Operation Ironside SOUTH-APOLLO involved the mass disruption of the Comancheros Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMCGs) and affiliated Middle Eastern Organised Crime syndicate members in Victoria.
As a result of IRONSIDE intelligence, SOUTH-APOLLO is a significant coordinated joint law enforcement operation drawing upon unprecedented collaboration between the AFP and Victoria Police to combat serious and organised crime.
Police activity has seriously damaged and disrupted the Comancheros OMCG in Victoria and internationally, one of Australia’s largest Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs) and affiliated criminal syndicates.
The investigation has led to the arrest of more than 20 OMCG and affiliated Middle Eastern Organised Crime syndicate members in Victoria alone. Among the OMCG members are several from the club’s hierarchy.
Operation IRONSIDE SOUTH-APOLLO has involved significant resources from the Victoria Police Echo Taskforce in the warrant and arrest activity, undertaken with assistance of officers from the AFP National Anti-Gangs Squad (NAGS).
This partnership has resulted in the disruption of the OMCG in both Australia and offshore. It involved the arrest of more than 20 OMCG and affiliated Middle Eastern Organised Crime members.
Around 18 search warrants were conducted on 7 June, 2021, while additional arrests have occurred as a result of IRONSIDE intelligence being passed to Victoria Police in the lead up to the IRONSIDE resolution activity.
During the search warrants encrypted devices, phones and more than $200,000 in cash was seized.
OMCG members arrested will be charged with a string of offences ranging across drug, firearm, conspiracy to undertake serious assault and proceeds of crime offences.
Previous arrest case studies
Operation IRONSIDE SOUTH-APOLLO, a major joint operation involving IRONSIDE intelligence passed to Victoria Police from AFP resulted in the disruption of an alleged cash drop involving more than $250,000, believed to be the proceeds of crime.
Victoria Police received intelligence from AFP over an alleged planned cash money drop occurring in Melbourne on Thursday, 20 May, 2021.
As a result of this intelligence a 38-year-old male driver was stopped in Preston with his vehicle searched.
A search of the man’s vehicle located two mobile phones, a shopping bag containing three vacuum sealed bags with a large sum of cash (believed to be $250k) inside, along with an additional satchel containing an estimated $5000 in cash.
The man was later charged with proceeds of crime offences and will face court again at a later date.
Operation IRONSIDE SOUTH-APOLLO, a joint operation involving IRONSIDE intelligence passed to Victoria Police from the AFP on 21 May, has resulted in the arrest of a known patched OMCG member following the alleged discovery of a concealed firearm at a Thomastown home.
Victoria Police ECHO Taskforce members, with assistance from NAGS Victoria, received information relating to possible weapons offences involving a known Comanchero OMCG member.
As a result of this intelligence, investigators executed a search warrant deploying AFP Geomatics and allegedly located a loaded firearm concealed inside the range hood in the property’s kitchen.
Ammunition was also allegedly located inside the property and in the man’s vehicle.
The 28-year-old man was arrested on firearm offences and plead guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. He was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment to be released on 7 June, 2021.
Operation IRONSIDE SOUTH-APOLLO, a joint operation involving IRONSIDE intelligence passed to Victoria Police from AFP, resulted in the disruption of more than 27 kilograms of illicit drugs allegedly being trafficked from New South Wales to Victoria.
IRONSIDE intelligence was passed to the Victoria Police Drug Task Force on 11 May, 2021 in relation to drug trafficking, outlining the possibility of a large quantity of border controlled drugs planned to be transported from New South Wales into Victoria on 12 May, 2021.
Victoria Police intercepted a vehicle travelling from New South Wales along the Hume Highway near Tallarook in Victoria on 12 May, 2021.
A large quantity of border controlled drugs were discovered inside the vehicle in duffle bags.
The bags contained approximately 25kgs of methamphetamine and 2kgs of cocaine.
Police seized the drugs and vehicle for further analysis.
Two men from Liverpool, New South Wales travelling in the vehicle were arrested and charged with drug trafficking offences.