Police are investigating the killing of Bandidos enforcer Ross Brand, 51, who was killed outside the Bandidos' clubhouse last month in a drive-by shooting. Another Bandido was injured in the shooting.Brand's killing is part of a brutal turf war between the two gangs. He was suspected of several attacks on Rebels members and their associates in the months before his death.
Police yesterday raided the Geelong headquarters of the Rebels motorcycle gang in the hunt for the killer of a member of a rival gang.Homicide detectives aided by Special Operation Group members searched the fortified property on a North Geelong industrial estate and later arrested two Rebels associates, a man, 34, at the clubhouse for firearms offences and a man, 25, at another address for a parole violation With a helicopter hovering, police went to the clubhouse, which has a metal plate with loopholes in place of a window, about 10.30am.The head of the homicide squad, Inspector Steve Clark, said: "We've executed a search warrant here at the Rebels clubhouse."One associate of the Rebels has been arrested in relation to firearms offences, and will be taken back to Geelong (police station) for interview and we've seized a number of items that will be examined over the coming week to see whether there's any association between those items and Ross Brand's murder."Inspector Clark said police seized ammunition at the clubhouse, but he would not specify what else had been taken away. He emphasised that both the men in custody had been arrested for offences "other than the murder of Ross Brand".
Other Rebels arrived at the clubhouse, next to a party hat shop, later in the morning but police allowed only one to enter. Detectives spent 20 minutes examining the four-wheel-drive in which the men arrived.Inspector Clark said there might be other raids this week."Outlaw motorcycle gangs are not renowned for co-operating with police, and this investigation has been no different," he said."Obviously there has been ongoing history between the two motorcycle gangs. We're hoping that our raid here will uncover some evidence that will lead to us solving the murder of Ross Brand."Clearly we're throwing a large number of resources at this particular investigation. We're hoping that that gives some comfort to the residents of Geelong, but the job of the homicide squad in relation to this matter is to solve our unsolved murder."Yesterday's raid follows revelations last week that CCTV footage of Brand's shooting showed two vehicles could have been involved.
Police believe the shots were fired from a white Toyota HiLux dual-cab utility. A white Hyundai Terracan station wagon could be seen outside the clubhouse 10 minutes earlier.
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