Victorian youth gang targeted with firearm prohibition orders

A youth gang behind more than 4,500 criminal offences is firmly in the sights of Victoria Police, with 40 of its members now subject to a Firearm Prohibition Order following sweeping police action over the past fortnight.

Detectives from the Gang Crime Squad were supported by the VIPER and Echo taskforces and detectives from the North West Metro and Western regions, serving 19 FPOs on gang members in recent weeks.

The gang, which Victoria Police will not name so as not to fuel notoriety, now has 40 members between the age of 17 and 26 subject to a FPO.

Over the past two years, this group has been connected to numerous homicides involving knives and firearms, as well as home invasions, burglaries, carjackings, robberies, and assaults.

12 FPOs were served on Wednesday 8 April on members aged between 20 and 25 living in Craigieburn, Hillside, Sunshine West, Melton, Sunbury, Tarneit, Footscray (2), Deer Park, Aintree, Armstrong Creek, Weir Views and Sebastopol.

Four gang members aged 23 (2), 24 and 25 were also arrested for offending including theft of motor vehicle, drug possession, handling stolen goods and outstanding warrants.

A further seven FPOs have since been served on gang members aged between 19 and 26 currently in custody.

It is anticipated further members from this gang will be issued FPOs in the future.

These orders enable police to conduct unannounced searches to ensure they are not in possession of firearms.

Victoria Police is proactively carrying FPO checks out on gang members in increasing numbers, with 88 young people holding different gang connections currently subject to a FPO.

During the course of these searches, police are also uncovering other weapons, with almost 400 gang members charged with possessing weapons such as machetes and firearms last year.

Victoria Police continues to run a dedicated operation targeting youth gangs named Operation Alliance.

As part of this operation, detectives are deploying a range of disruption strategies across the city each day, including FPO checks, bail compliance, and intelligence led patrols where gangs are known to congregate and offend.

In addition to this preventative work, Operation Alliance also continues to effect major arrests, with 440 youth gang members arrested almost 1,400 times in the past year.

3,750 charges were laid in relation to these matters – most commonly for crimes such as car thefts, aggravated burglaries, robberies, weapon offences, and assaults.

Anyone with any information on youth gang activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit an anonymous report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au(opens in a new window)

Quotes attributable to Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly, State Anti-Gangs Division:

“Police understand the concern when gang violence occurs and the impact this has on our commitment to the community. We will continue to target and hold offenders to account who seek to commit serious and violent crime.

“Operations like this one give us a greater insight than ever before on those who associate themselves as part of a youth gang. Every single day, we are arresting and charging youth gang members for serious offending.

“If you choose to be involved in one of these gangs and endanger our community, you will be tracked down and held to account for your actions.

“If you join a gang, you will regret it. It ends badly and very likely results in you or others being seriously assaulted, your family being impacted and you being arrested and charged for serious criminal offences.”

Quotes attributable to Acting Commander Damian Jackson:

“Operation Alliance detectives are regularly conducting Firearm Prohibition Order checks, which helped us take more than 400 firearms and knives out of the hands of our most dangerous young offenders.

“While it’s impossible to quantify, it’s a reasonable assumption these seizures prevented significant trauma and likely saved lives.

“We will continue to unapologetically target every known gang member living in Victoria – if you show a blatant disregard for community safety, your life will be uncomfortable.”

Media Unit

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