There are vicious rivalries between bikie gangs in Australia, and whenever members from two different groups are in the same place at once – you can guarantee that there is going to be trouble. Yesterday, an altercation at The Star Casino between two rival bikies ended in arrests, as a member from one of the gangs threatened a police officer.
Members of the Comancheros and the Finks had ended up at The Star Casino at the same time. Upon discovering this, casino staff informed local authorities, warning them that trouble may be brewing. The police headed to the scene and spoke with four members of the Finks. It seemed harmless at first – but the situation led to arrests. One of the gang members allegedly threatened a police constable.
He was immediately arrested and charged with intimidating a police officer and offensive conduct. The 31-year-old has been bailed out and will appear in court on February 22. The remaining gang members received warnings about their behaviour. Over the course of the past few years, gang activity has become a significant concern for Australian casino and pokie club operators.
Dozens of fights have broken out in these venues between rival gang members, threatening the safety of casino patrons. Local authorities have attempted to prevent these types of situations by banning gang members from wearing their colours in gambling venues. While it has cut down on the amount of gang violence that takes place in casinos, it has not eliminated the problem completely.
In 2009, the Strike Force Raptor police squad was assembled. This team was employed in order to crackdown on gang violence and other gang-related crimes that take place in NSW. Their work, along with casino bans on gang colours, have helped to reduce violence among rival gangs.
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