- Published:
- Friday 8 May 2026 at 2:55 am
In a fourth annual week of action on the border, Victoria Police has arrested almost 30 people and seized firearms, drugs, weapons and cash following a joint-agency operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCG) and organised criminal entities.
Operation Blue Ember is a joint operation between Victoria Police’s VIPER Taskforce, local members from north east Victoria and NSW Police Force’s Criminal Groups and Raptor Squads in partnership with the Sheriff’s Office.
The operation focussed on the north-east of Victoria and southern New South Wales.
During the multi-agency operation – which commenced at 6am on Monday (4 May) and concludes at midday on Friday, 8 May – Victoria Police has thus far executed a total of 13 warrants, including 21 Firearm Prohibition Order compliance searches and the service of a further five FPOs, making 29 arrests and laying over 40 charges.
Police seized three firearms – including a sawn off .22 – cannabis, cocaine, methylamphetamine, GHB, steroids, knuckle dusters, an ASP baton, a sword, a machete and a quantity of cash.
Sixty-eight vehicles were intercepted, with State Highway Patrol impounding seven vehicles for drug and impaired driving and conducting 65 preliminary roadside drug and alcohol tests.
Incidents of note include:
- On Monday, 4 May VIPER attended a Wodonga address to execute a Firearm Prohibition Order search on a patched Finks OMCG member. The 34-year-old man fled across the border into NSW. He was located at an Albury address by Raptor. The man was charged with criminal damage and returned to custody in Victoria.
- On Tuesday, 5 May, VIPER and Eastern Region Crime Squad executed a search warrant at a Leneva address. Approximately 10kg of dried cannabis plant, tobacco plants, magic mushrooms and various weapons were located. A 39-year-old man was charged with cultivate narcotic plant, possess prohibited weapon, traffick cannabis, possess cannabis and DOD, grow tobacco without federal exemption. He was bailed to appear at Wodonga Magistrates’ Court on 22 September.
- On Wednesday, 6 May, VIPER assisted Wodonga CIU in a search for an 32-year-old Lavington man involved in a cross border pursuit on Monday 4 May. A potential address in Gapstead was identified and the man was arrested. He will be extradited to NSW.
- On Thursday, 7 May, VIPER assisted Cobram Crime Investigation Unit with the execution of search warrants in Cobram on associates of the Mongols OMCG. Traffickable quantities of drugs and cash were seized. Five people were arrested including a 25-year-old Cobram man who was found with approximately 20g of powder suspected to be cocaine and a quantity of cash. He was charged with trafficking DOD and possess proceeds of crime. He was bailed to appear at Cobram Magistrates’ Court in November.
Alongside New South Wales Police Force and the Sherriff’s Office, the VIPER Taskforce was supported by the Public Order Response Team (PORT), State Highway Patrol, Dog Squad, Wodonga and Cobram Crime Investigation Units, Eastern Region Crime Squad and frontline members from the local area.
From Monday 4 May until Thursday 7 May, results for the Sheriff's Office included:
- Sheriff’s officers took enforcement action against 12 debtors who collectively had 74 outstanding warrants with a total outstanding amount of $37,720.70.
- Nine debtors paid 44 warrants in full. The total amount collected was $18,882.10.
- Sheriff’s officers served 7 day notices on 10 debtors who collectively had 52 outstanding warrants with a total outstanding amount of $28,188.10.
- One wheel clamp was applied – the debtor had four warrants with an outstanding amount of $1900.00.
Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Ash Mason said by coordinating cross-border and cross jurisdictional operations, both agencies enhance their capabilities to disrupt OMCG and criminal networks.
“Outlaw motorcycle gangs are recognised as having high levels of involvement in illicit drug importation, production and distribution, illicit firearms trafficking and money laundering as well as extreme violent crime.
“Alongside our partners and with specialist taskforces such as VIPER and Raptor, we will continue to use our full range of capabilities to proactively target OMCGs and those people involved in organised crime at every opportunity.
“There can be a perception that it is easier to hide in the country. That is simply not true. If you are involved in organised criminal activity, you will be detected and you will be held accountable, irrespective of a state border.
“Our message to OMCGs, their facilitators and those people associated with organised crime is clear – we are working together, and we will be relentless. You cannot hide, and we will not stop.”
NSW Police Forces’ Detective Acting Superintendent Brad Abdy, Commander of Raptor Squad, has commended the collaborative effort and results of the five-day operation.
“This operation is built on intelligence, precision, and strong cross‑border cooperation. Organised crime groups don’t recognise state boundaries, and neither do we when it comes to dismantling their activities,” Det A/Supt Brad Abdy said.
“The arrests, seizures and compliance checks conducted this week reflect the capability of our combined teams and our commitment to disrupting criminal networks at every level.”
“The results this week show the strength of our partnership with Victoria Police’s VIPER Taskforce. Together, we are disrupting criminal networks, removing weapons from our communities, and holding offenders to account.”
The VIPER Taskforce is a tactical and investigative unit based within Crime & Counter Terrorism Investigation Services focused on preventing, detecting, deterring, disrupting and dismantling the criminal activities of groups such as outlaw motorcycle gangs, organised crime networks and street gangs.
The taskforce, which commenced in July 2022, supports the work of specialist investigation units and regional police by providing further investigation tactics and enforcement actions.
VIPER is an acronym for visibility, intelligence, prevention, enforcement and reassurance.
Anyone with information about OMCG or illicit firearm activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Media Unit
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