Riverina police have responded to criticisms following an operation that targetted members of a notorious outlaw motorcycle club in Junee at the weekend.
Shortly after midday on Saturday, police pulled over about 130 motorcyclists who are understood to have attended the funeral of Junee man Malcolm Hackett. Up to 85 of the motorcyclists were dressed in Mongols OMC colours.
“During that stop a number of defects were issued, up to 24 defects were issued to a number of the motorcyclists,” Riverina Inspector Peter McLay said.
Additionally, 54 infringements notices were issued on the spot.
Funeral attendees took to social media afterwards claiming the police had acted disrespectfully by conducting the stops during their bereavement.
“Police action was taken in response to the driving behaviour of those particular motorcyclists as they drove between Wagga and Junee that morning,” Inspector McLay said. “The decision was made to interact with those individuals and take appropriate action.”
The action was a joint spearhead involving Riverina Police District officer, Traffic and Highway Control Command and Strike Force Raptor.
“We had some intelligence that possibly some OMC were going to attend the funeral, and the operation was formed around that intelligence, and that vehicle stop formed part of the police response,” Inspector McLay said.
Source: The Daily Advertiser