Queensland police have charged a further seven men in relation to the 2020 shooting murder of outlaw motorcycle gang defector Shane Bowden on the Gold Coast, Australia.
Detectives from the state’s homicide and gangs squads along with other specialist officers raided a string of properties along the glitter strip on Sunday, making a total of eight arrests.
The seven charged with murder will appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.
A 37-year-old Wanora man also taken into custody is accused of unlawful weapons possession and will face Ipswich magistrates Court on July 29.
Their arrests follow that on Saturday of Ian Robert Crowden, 46, identified as the president of the Brisbane West chapter of the Mongols bikies.
He has also been charged with murder.
Bowden, 47, was gunned down in the driveway of a residence at Pimpama last October.
A total of 21 rounds were fired, 19 from a machine pistol and two from a shotgun before the offenders ran back to a waiting silver commodore and fled.
Detectives said on July 1 they were without doubt the Mongols orchestrated the execution of Bowden, as he sat in his BMW.
Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said Sunday’s arrests represented a significant step towards dismantling organised crime in Queensland’s southeast and beyond.
“These arrests have decimated a whole chapter of the Mongols OMCG,” he said in a statement.
“The numbers involved are unprecedented and will be nationally significant.
“It points to the true nature of these gangs but importantly the ability of law enforcement to break their so-called loyalty and code of silence and bring them to justice.”
Supt Smith said the murder of Bowden involved significant planning by those involved resulting in a long and complicated investigation.
“The community can be assured police have the ability to tackle organised crime groups regardless of their so-called sophistication,” he added.
Bowden was initially a member of the Finks criminal biker gang, and part of its “terror team” jailed over the Gold Coast’s so-called ballroom blitz brawl in which three people were shot and two stabbed in 2006.
After his release, he defected to the Mongols but was booted out and rejoined the Finks just before he was shot.
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