Five members of the Hells Angels bikie gang have been charged with criminal association after being the first to be arrested under South Australia's revamped anti-gang laws.
The men, aged between 23 and 29, were arrested on Thursday during a series of raids at suburban properties across Adelaide.
Police allege three of the five men associated with each other at Adelaide Airport following interstate travel earlier this month and three were together outside a licensed premises at North Adelaide on Sunday.
SA's new laws, which came into effect in August, make it an offence for members of declared criminal organisations to associate in groups of three or more in public.
The Hells Angels are one of 10 such groups in SA.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
The alleged circumstances of this offending is exactly what these new laws were designed to prevent, which is criminals coming together in public places where they create a risk to public safety, Assistant Commissioner Linda Fellows said.
The five men were refused police bail and were expected to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.
