Operation Morpheus: Five West Australian members and associates of Comancheros gang arrested during blitz

Police are warning outlaw bikies that they are in for a “world of hurt” after five people were arrested in WA as part of a National Day Of Action targeting the Comanchero gang. Officers across Australian and New Zealand raided several of the gang’s clubhouses and charged 56 people — including members and associates — with 168 offences. Of those arrested, WA police charged five people with 14 offences relating to drugs, firearms, cash and motor vehicles. Det. Acting Insp. Sean Wright said officers from the serious and organised crime division would be taking “further actions” over the weekend. “Anyone who is associated and committing offences with outlaw motorcycle gang members are being targeted,” he said on Friday. “This was a huge disruption and we’ll continue to conduct these types of operations.” Det. Act. Insp. Wright said the Comancheros were targeted over their recent activity and warned other outlaw motorcycle gangs that they were not off the hook. “Next week, it could be you,” he said. “Every day, we’ll be targeting gangs without question. “Why you would like to be a gang member, I don’t know ... Our messaging is don’t become involved because you’re going to get yourself in a world of hurt.” Vision released by WA Police shows five armed officers smashing down several residential doors during multiple search warrants. An officer can be heard shouting: “Police search warrant, get on the ground.” A separate video shows two police officers pinning a man onto the floor of a driveway. Thursday’s blitz was led by WA Police and involved all Australian State and Territory police, including the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force. Officers also executed 51 search warrants nationally, resulting in 47 firearm prohibition order compliance checks and five visa cancellations. A cache of illicit drugs, firearms and cash were also seized. “We are in constant communication with our counterparts in all the States and New Zealand,” Det. Act. Insp. Wright said. “There’s a lot of planning, we have a number of officers, we have a number of intel people that compile the information which establishes our evidence to be able to execute the lines.” Queensland Det. Act. Insp. and Taskforce Morpheus acting national chair Craig Bowman said police were committed to disrupting organised crime. “The volatile and often divisive nature of OMCGs such as the Comancheros creates opportunities for law enforcement agencies to exploit,” he said. “These vulnerabilities allow us to target their networks more effectively.” It comes just weeks after WA Police revealed a “significant link” between the Comancheros and alleged tobacco kingpin Kazem Hamad. Mr Hamad and his associates are being investigated by the Australian Federal Police over several firebombings and violent attacks linked to the illicit tobacco trade. The 41-year-old has been dubbed Australia’s illicit tobacco king amid allegations he was involved in importing millions of illegal cigarettes and orchestrating violence associated with their sale across the country. In February, Comancheros nominee Pirikatea Whaitiri Mckay Wyllie faced Rockingham Magistrates Court after allegedly threatening to firebomb Rockingham Convenience and Tobacco. The prosecutor told the court two men entered the store in a disguise last Wednesday, before telling the person inside to “close the shop now, stop trading, or you’ll get firebombed.” A piece of paper was then handed over, with directions to contact a user named “CHANCE.56” via the Signal app. The interaction was captured on CCTV, with the pair filmed leaving in a white Holden Commodore registered to Mr Wyllie’s partner. And last May, Comancheros bikie Leslie “Lethal Les” Grantham — the gang’s one-time sergeant-at-arms — was shot, burnt and left for dead outside Rockingham Hospital by his own gang after telling them he wanted out. He suffered severe leg burns during what police suspect was a gruesome attempt to remove his gang tattoos.