The Northern Territory Police Drugs and Organised Crime, Gangs Task Force recently took part in Taskforce Morpheus, a national week of action between 5 and 9 August 2024.
With the sole aim of causing maximum disruption to outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs), police across the country arrested over 100 people, laid over 250 charges and seized firearms, weapons, various drugs, illicit cigarettes, tobacco and vapes and over $100,000 cash as part of a national week of action.
Focussing on enhanced national coordination and collaboration, national Taskforce Morpheus is a joint initiative through which all Australian state and territory police, Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Defence Force, Australian Taxation Office, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, Services Australia and New Zealand Police collaboratively target the highest threat outlaw motorcycle gangs impacting Australia.
Alongside their propensity for violence, OMCG members have a significant footprint in a range of organised criminal activities including illicit drug production and distribution, firearms trafficking, money laundering, tax evasion and more recently, infiltrating the illicit tobacco market. OMCGs are ranked as the largest serious and organised crime cohort impacting Australia and New Zealand.
In Australia, the average costs of crime and prison alone add up to approximately $1.3million per OMCG offender over the course of their criminal careers according to research conducted by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC).
During the Week of Action, Gangs Task Force members in the Territory:
• Served 4 Firearm Prohibition Orders
• Arrested one male for traffic offences
• Arrested one male for supplying a schedule 2 substance in addition to traffic offences.
• Arrested one male for Breach of Bail
• Arrested on male for drugs and weapons offences
• Issued a Notice to Appear for traffic offences
• Defected 5 motor vehicles
• Issued 1 Traffic Infringement Notice
In addition to this, the Gangs Task Force recently wrapped up an operation focusing on the Mongrel Mob who were suspected of distributing illicit substances into remote communities.
The operation resulted in:
• 6 x males arrested for supplying a commercial qty of a schedule 2 dangerous drug
One man was remanded to appear in court in August. Three men were remanded to appear in September, while two were bailed to appear later this month.
Superintendent Lee Morgan said "Our message to OMCG's is very simple, you are not welcome in the Territory.
"The negative social and economic impact of these gangs is significant, and NT Police will utilise every resource at our disposal to disrupt the illegal activities of OMCG's and drive them out of the NT".
