Victorian gang crime crackdown: Police sting nets youth linked to murders

A notorious youth gang linked to several murders and other serious crimes has been hit with mass raids and arrests.

Victoria Police said 40 gang members, aged between 17 and 26, are now subject to a firearm prohibition order (FPO) after raids on their homes over the past fortnight.

The firearm bans allow police to conduct unannounced searches on the gang members to ensure they are not in possession of guns or other weapons.

Police said these measures will greatly disrupt the dealings of the gang, which the force has chosen not to name “so as not to fuel notoriety”.

The gang of young criminals has been linked to several murders and is behind at least 45000 criminal offences, including home invasions, burglaries, carjacking and assaults, across Victoria over the past two years.

“If you join a gang, you will regret it,” Anti-gangs Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly said on Monday.

“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.”

Twelve firearms bans were served on gang members aged between 20 and 25 living in Cragieburn, Hillside, Sunshine West, Sunbury, Tarneit, Footscray, Deer Park, Aintree, Armstrong Creek, Weir Views and Sebastopol.

Four of them were also arrested for stealing cars, drug possession, handling stolen goods and outstanding warrants.

A further seven bans were handed to gang members aged between 19 and 26, who were already in custody.

Police said they routinely carry out FPO checks on gang members, and 88 young people with different gang connections are currently subject to the bans.

During the course of these searches, police have uncovered other weapons.

Nearly 400 gang members were charged with possessing weapons such as machetes and firearms last year, police said.