GANGS of Middle Eastern youths have threatened to bash staff in popular city and suburban nightclubs.
Adelaide hoteliers say the notorious “Middle East Boys” – or MEB – have said they’d find staff members’ homes to exact a violent revenge after being refused entry to bars and pubs.One hotelier, who declined to be identified for fear of retribution, said gangs were barred from most Adelaide pubs but members occasionally slipped into late-night clubs undetected. He says gangs are infiltrating bars and clubs to sell drugs to young patrons.
“We had one of them say: `We’ll find out where you live and come around and get you’ after he was chucked out,” the hotelier said. “They were coming in pretty regularly for a while there but we have a strict policy now; we just don’t let them in.”
Chief Inspector Scott Duval, Officer in Charge of the Licensing Enforcement Branch, said he would “encourage any licensee who is experiencing problems with any patron/s to contact police”.
“A licensee currently has the power to bar persons from their licensed premises under Section 125 of the Liquor Licensing Act for periods of up to three months, six months or indefinitely,” he said.
“A person barred for over one month may apply to the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner for a review. Maximum penalty for breaching a barring order is a $1250 fine.
“Amendments to the Liquor Licensing Act have been drafted which will give police the power to bar persons from licensed premises, however this power is not currently available to police.”
MEB, linked by an ethnic background, is one of three groups of young men who are “of interest” to police, along with RTS (Rule the Streets) and TR (Team Revolution). All have associations with bikie gangs.
The hotelier said gangs targeted the nightclubs most popular with young people because they were most likely to buy amphetamines and cannabis.
Problems of gang intimidation peaked several months ago but strong crowd controls and stricter entry standards were making an impact.
Hoteliers have the power to ban, or bar, patrons for unruly behaviour but police urge them to also report threats of violence from anybody ...
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