FIVE  men, including two Rebels bikies, have been charged with cocaine trafficking after police smashed a major Wide Bay crime syndicate.Eight Hervey Bay properties, including the Rebels clubhouse at Urangan, were yesterday raided by officers from Brisbane’s OMCG Task Force Hydra and the State Drug Investigation Unit.While no drugs or weapons were found, police seized a large amount of suspected tainted property, including a $40,000 Harley Davidson believed to belong to local Rebels boss Adam McCrea.
McCrea is currently in custody after he was caught driving an unregistered car south of Maryborough last week.Already on Supreme Court bail, the 44-year-old was remanded in custody after police allegedly found cocaine in the vehicle. He was yesterday further charged with trafficking dangerous drugs.Fellow Rebel Mark Berghofer, 47, and an associate, Bradley Cameron, 31, were also charged and did not apply for bail in the Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.Two others, Joshua Carew, 27, and Steven Smith, 24, were released on bail.The arrests came as part of an alleged cocaine trafficking syndicate operating out of the Gold Coast with distribution networks in Hervey Bay.Operation Hotel Formation, which began last July, focused on methyl amphetamine, cocaine and cannabis trafficking across the state and has netted over $1 million in drugs and led to 44 arrests.Detective Inspector Garry Watts of Task Force Hydra described yesterday’s arrests as significant and said they would help drive down organised crime.“We are very pleased with the results that we have with five persons charged with drug trafficking in the local area.”He said the investigation was likely to lead to further arrests.