Victoria Police have raided Comanchero bikie properties across Melbourne
COMANCHERO boss Mick Murray and two fellow members are in police custody after a major sweep on the gang by anti-bikie investigators.
Murray, Almir Dzafic and Robert Morando were handcuffed as they appeared in an out of sessions hearing at St Kilda Rd Police Centre on Friday night before bail justice Annette Stockman.
It followed a morning of searches on their homes, a Comanchero clubhouse and properties linked to the gang.
All three have been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice with police alleging they pressured a “victim” to “put his hand up” for explosives found in a March 2013 raid.
Mr Murray, 36, of Lysterfield South, was also charged with possessing six long-arm fire arms, three hand guns, steroids and ammunition.
A patron sticks to his workout schedule despite the police raid. Picture: Nicole Garmston
Mr Morando, 41, of Narre Warren South, was also charged with threatening to inflict serious injury, possessing steroids, and charges of possessing explosives and steroids in 2013.
Police allege he threatened to cut open the “victim”.
Mr Murray and Mr Morando did not seek bail.
Mr Dzafic, a 33-year-old Bosnian living in Hampton Park, said he needed to care for his elderly parents but Mrs Stockman declined his application.
Assistant Commissioner Steve Fontana gives a blow-by-blow look at a massive police raid against the Comacheros bikie gang by 570 officers
A woman arrested as part of the raids was released pending further inquiries.
At Mr Murray’s gated home, detectives removed items including a laptop and parts of a desktop computer.
The open garage door revealed a colourful taxidermy collection, including a lion and lioness and several mounted animal heads.
Properties in Melbourne, Hampton Park, Narre Warren, Boronia, Hallam and Dewhurst were searched.
Police search a property in Lysterfield South. Picture: Lawrence Pinder
All three men are due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Mr Murray’s Nitro Gym in Hallam, targeted in a drive-by shooting believed linked to a turf war with the Hells Angels in September, was also searched.
The raids come just a month after police discovered an arsenal of explosive power gel, detonators and cord during raids on 63 Comanchero-linked properties across metropolitan Melbourne.
The police operation, codenamed Crosswings, was the largest simultaneous execution of warrants in Victoria’s history.
Stuffed animals visible in the garage of the premises at Lysterfield South. Picture: Lawrence Pinder
That raid came a week after police targeted the Hells Angels Darkside chapter, in which a military style weapon was found.
At the time, police released behind-the-scenes footage of those raids (see above).
Last year, police conducted widespread raids on Hells Angel clubhouses as part of an ongoing investigation into criminal bikie gang activity.
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