Tasmania Police is now enforcing the new laws banning the wearing of insignia of five outlaw motorcycle gangs, including at a planned run of the Outlaws OMCG today.

The new legislation affects five identified outlaw motorcycle gangs: Bandidos, Outlaws, Devils Henchman, Black Uhlans and Rebels. These are criminal gangs and their colours are designed to show affiliation with this criminality and intimidate others. The new laws don’t affect other motorcycle clubs.

Commander Brett Smith said that Tasmania Police was aware that a group of Outlaws OMCG members plan to hold a memorial run in northern Tasmania today.

“Tasmania Police has been liaising with them to ensure members understand that they will be closely monitored, and that criminal and anti-social behaviour won’t be tolerated in our state,” he said.

“Our community can be assured there’ll be a strong police presence actively monitoring the activities of outlaw motorcycle gang members while they are here.”

This will include vehicle checks, targeted drug and alcohol testing, monitoring for anti-social and criminal behaviour and traffic operations.

Tasmania Police has rostered on a significant number of additional officers to assist with this operation and will be supported by a contingent of officers from interstate.

“Law enforcement and Commonwealth agencies continue to work together to detect, deter and disrupt the criminal activities of all Australian OMCG members through the National Task Force Operation Morpheus and the National Anti-Gangs Squad. The assistance provided by interstate officers from gang crime investigation areas is an outcome of this cooperative national framework.

“We continue to target OMCG members in terms of criminal activity, anti-social or intimidating behaviour or breaches of our traffic laws.