THE Rebels motorcycle club in Tasmania has rejected police claims the organisation is involved with the drug ice.
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While the Australian Crime Commission has labelled the nationwide bikie gang "one of Australia's highest risk criminal threats", the club's state president Shaun Kelly said he is a hardworking family man who despises ice.
"It states clearly in our constitution members are not to have anything to do with ice," Mr Kelly said.
"We refuse to have anything to do with it.
"We are totally sick of being branded with this insidious drug.
"Ice is ... going to ruin the country."
The distinction between ice, which is crystallised methamphetamine, and the less potent forms of methamphetamine appears to be an important one for Mr Kelly.
He said there had not been one instance of a Tasmanian Rebel convicted of a crime relating to ice.
However several high profile Tasmanian Rebels, including the former state president Colin David Picard, have been jailed for trafficking methamphetamine.
And earlier this month ex-Rebels member Nicholas Mark Stebbins, 27, was jailed for his role in a $10 million amphetamine, ecstasy and cocaine ring.
Nevertheless, Mr Kelly maintains most of the Rebels' 100 members are just motorcycle enthusiasts who get together to socialise and ride their bikes.
Mr Kelly said he had even been willing to debate Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Donna Adams on radio about the matter.
A police spokeswoman told The Examiner that a Hobart radio station had requested an interview with Assistant Commissioner Adams in response to an interview with Mr Kelly.
"The request was declined, however the Assistant Commissioner contacted the radio station. Tasmania Police does not engage in public debate with members of OMCGs [outlaw motorcycle gangs]," the spokeswoman said.
Assistant Commissioner Adams yesterday stood by her comments that the Rebels in this state were linked to the importation and distribution of drugs.
"OMCGs are not motorcycle clubs, they are well organised criminal gangs causing harm and disruption across our country," she said.
"In Tasmania, the Rebels OMCG is the most significant, in terms of criminal intelligence and related activity."
