A BIKIE kingpin has been arrested and more than $100,000 worth of drugs seized during a series of dramatic police raids in Wagga and Junee on Tuesday.
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One of the state’s most senior Finks gang members, Peter Yealland, has been charged with commercial drug supply after a routine vehicle stop in Forest Hill allegedly uncovered more than half-a-kilo of ice, cash and cocaine.
Wagga police pulled over the alleged dealer as part of Operation Safe Arrival just after midnight on Tuesday.
The 44-year-old was then taken into police custody and was denied bail in Wagga Court later that day.
Officers then turned their attention to the Finks clubhouse in Junee and a home on Hunter Street in Wagga where they allegedly found a loaded gun and significant quantities of ecstasy and MDMA.
Detectives believe they have cracked a drug syndicate that could be largely responsible for the city’s methamphetamine epidemic.
Wagga’s top cop Superintendent Bob Noble described the sting as a milestone victory in the war on drugs, but said the bust was only the beginning.
“We don’t think we’ve got the bulk of it by any stretch of the imagination,” he said.
“Motorcycle gangs are very prominent and there’s an undeniable nexus between them and the supply of illicit drugs.
“We will be examining all the linkages from the 44-year-old and all the lines of enquiry that come from these searches.”
The police chief said more drugs, cash and guns may be hidden away.
“The searching techniques are quite exhaustive and we leave virtually nothing upturned because we know people are pretty crafty at securing these items away,” Superintendent Noble said.
It comes on the back of several recent busts as part of Strike Force Tandine which police speculate may be linked to the Finks motorcycle gang.
On December 9, a 38-year-old man was charged with ongoing drug supply after a search of his vehicle on Fernleigh Road uncovered substantial quantities ice and a rifle.
A 31-year-old was then charged with supply prohibited drug indictable quantity on December 16 and a 33-year-old male was on Wednesday morning also nabbed after ongoing investigations.
More seizures are expected to be uncovered in the coming days.
