Nine alleged members and associates of the Finks OMCG have been charged following a series of Raptor Squad raids across the Hunter region. The arrests follow investigations into alleged drug, firearm, sexual touching and affray offences at licensed venues in Merewether and Shoal Bay earlier this month.
Police say a 25-year-old woman was allegedly touched on three separate occasions by an unknown man at a Merewether hotel on Saturday 1 November. That same night, three men were allegedly involved in an affray at the venue, where one man is accused of arming himself with a cutlery knife and threatening a patron.
A week later, on Saturday 8 November, Port Stephens–Hunter Police District officers began investigating an alleged brawl at a licensed premises in Shoal Bay. Police allege a group of men attacked patrons standing outside the venue. Investigators later identified those involved in the sexual touching and affray matters as alleged Finks OMCG members.
From 6am on Wednesday 19 November, Raptor Squad North executed seven search warrants across the Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Maitland areas with assistance from local police. A series of arrests followed, resulting in a range of charges including sexual touching, affray, drug supply and multiple firearm offences.
Among the arrests were a 36-year-old Kurri Kurri man charged with two counts of affray and drug supply; a 33-year-old North Rothbury man charged with affray and drug possession; and a 40-year-old Rutherford man charged with sexually touching another person without consent. Two men in Maitland were charged after police allegedly located a gel blaster, while searches in Windale uncovered a shotgun and led to additional drug and weapon charges.
Further arrests were made at two Bellbird addresses, with men aged 32 and 34 charged with affray, weapons and drug offences. Several accused were refused bail and are due to appear in court today, while others were granted conditional bail and will appear in local courts over the coming weeks.
