Police have charged 20 people after a series of raids on a notorious African gang in south-east Queensland.
Queensland Police said the operation was part of an investigation established in June 2024 to investigate well-known street gang KTM, which they allege is involved in public acts of violence and large-scale drug trafficking, and based in Logan.
KTM, also known as K12 and K-Town, is predominately made up of Somalians and takes its name from the immigrant-dominated suburb of Kuraby in Brisbane’s south where 31.2% of the population were Muslim and just 46.1% were born in Australia, according to the 2021 Census.
Properties in Kuraby, Hillcrest, Woodridge, Brisbane, Upper Mount Gravatt, Calamvale, Logan Reserve, Holland Park West, Woodridge, Underwood, Forest Lake, Algester, Kiamba and Doolandella were searched on Friday, and police allegedly seized large amounts of cash and dismantled two methylamphetamine labs.
Police also seized eight luxury vehicles allegedly purchased with the proceeds of crime, and laid 268 charges against 20 men aged 19 to 68. The charges include drug trafficking, drug supply, drug possession, and possess tainted property.
Sixteen of those arrested had their cases mentioned in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday where some matters were adjourned for a mention on July 7 and some for a bail application on June 3, the Courier Mail reported.
The men charged include Said Mohamud Abdi, Abdullahi Ahmed Adan, Abdirahman Aden Warsame, Sakariye Adam Ahmed, Ayaaz Bhagoo, Aydin Imran Celikovic, Isak Jameel Celikovic, Mohamed Dawd Mohamed, Mohammed Mosin Khan, Exauce Osumaka Makiadi, Muhamad Mossi, Hamzah Motala, Jamal Abdirashid Shaarub, Khaalid Shaarub, Shirwac Abdi Yusuf, and Yusuf Yusuf.
Like African gangs in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, KTM has links to drill rap groups, and in 2022 a senior Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang member was shot in the face after approaching a group of men filming a music video for rapper KTM Henny.
A Somalian man was charged with attempted murder over the shooting but the charges were dropped in April 2023.
Header image: Left, a man arrested during the raids. Right, a KTM T-shirt seized by police (Queensland Police).
