New state police have stepped up their efforts to crack down on the state's locomotive party wars by building two elite teams of anti-crime groups in the Hunter and Illawarra regions.
The new state crime commander, acting assistant director Stuart Smith, said on Monday that the Raptor North team in the Hunter area and the Raptor South team in Illawarra would inform the new state headquarters of all criminal groups.
The team was set up on the basis of the Raptor team in Sydney. The team will have 23 members, including investigators, highway patrols and intelligence personnel.
The two groups began a pilot operation in April as the conflict in the two areas escalated to dangerous levels.
Peter Barrie, assistant director-general of the Southern District Commander, said the team had launched a crackdown on gangs that had ignored the law and community safety.
When a group of Illawarra criminals were accused of restoring Brothers 4 Life and operating a local chapter in prison, the, Raptor South Special strike Unit was set up.
Similarly in the Hunter area, the police are fighting escalating clashes between rival gangs, such as the clashes between the locomotive gangs of Finks and Nomads.
In April, 300 armed police raided 13 motorcycle parties.
Police say relations between criminal gangs have been strained after incidents such as shooting drivers and incendiary attacks that hurt innocent people were only a matter of time.
In April, Superintendent Wayne Humphrey appealed against illegal locomotive parties to stop clashes between the gangs.
"eventually, you or someone in your family could be shot. These people have nothing to do with gangs, "he said."
He said the shootings this year involved high-powered weapons and ammunition and posed a "huge danger" to residents.
"it must stop."
Since 2009, special strike team Raptor officers have seized tens of millions of dollars in cash, drugs and other proceeds of crime.
Smith, acting assistant director-general, said: "We have cracked down on the illegal locomotive party, and it is a direct blow to the point."