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ACT's top cop backs controversial laws in battle against bikies

The Comancheros are one of five outlaw motorcycle gangs in the ACT. (Supplied: Australian Federal Police)

The laws are in place in most other Australian jurisdictions, but Labor-led ACT governments have argued they conflict with the Human Rights Act.

Police and experts argue now is the time to introduce the laws in the territory.

ACT Chief Police Officer Scott Lee has no doubt about the damage outlaw bikie gangs are causing in Canberra.

While raw numbers in the Canberra region do not match those in Sydney and Melbourne, there has been a notable increase in the past few years.

Deputy Commissioner Lee said there were currently five outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) in the ACT, with about 45 members and approximately 20 associates.

Canberra police report growing biker gang presence in ACT

Canberra police in Australia have reported an increase in the number of members of outlaw biker gangs in the Australian Capital Territory. Five such groups are currently active there, with about 45 members and approximately 20 people associated with them. ACT Police Chief Scott Lee described this trend as a cause for concern.

As ABC News Australia reports, Lee said that such groups are linked to organised crime. He noted that their numbers in the region are lower than in Sydney and Melbourne, but have increased noticeably in recent years.

For decades, Rebels was the only established biker gang in the territory. Since the beginning of the 2010s, most of its members have moved to other groups, including Bandidos, Hells Angels, Finks and Comancheros. Several of them already have their own chapters in the ACT rather than using Canberra only as a transit route.

ACT police chief backs anti-consorting laws

According to ABC News, ACT Chief Police Officer Scott Lee is publicly backing anti-consorting laws as police step up efforts against outlaw motorcycle gangs in Canberra. Lee said there are five outlaw motorcycle gangs in the ACT, with about 45 members and approximately 20 associates, and that the number has grown in recent years.

For decades, the Rebels were the territory’s one established bikie gang, but since the early 2010s most Rebels have “patched over” to groups including the Bandidos, Hells Angels, Finks and Comancheros. Several groups now have ACT chapters or bases. Lee said Canberra’s growth and prosperity made it attractive for both investment and crime, while Associate Professor Mark Lauchs said gangs were increasing in Canberra because it was harder for them to operate elsewhere in Australia.

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