‘Bikies’, including underwear model, charged over alleged extortion of Sydney pawn shop owner

Three senior Finks bikie gang members are facing a raft of charges over the alleged extortion of a pawn shop owner in Sydney’s northwest.

Eamon Mulgrew, who police say is the president of the Finks outlaw motorcycle gang and a part-time underwear model, his vice president Brent McCaffrey and Sergeant at Arms Mitchell McPhail were arrested in dawn raids on Wednesday.

Last month detectives from the State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad began investigating the extortion of the Riverstone pawn shop owner.

Police allege the trio extorted the 45-year-old after he loaned a former Finks member $11,500 cash earlier this year.

In exchange, the shopkeeper was given jewellery, a motorcycle and a boat as collateral.

The former Finks member allegedly owed money to the accused men after leaving the gang.

The three men then allegedly demanded the loaned items be given to them by the shopkeeper, who declined and was then allegedly threatened on a daily basis and bashed multiple times.

Raptor Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Jason Weinstein said there was a “significant element of fear”.

“We have an individual who owns a lawful business... has nothing or connected to organised crime,” he told reporters on Thursday.

NSW Police raided homes at Chatswood, North Richmond, North St Marys, Tregear, Bidwell, and Raymond Terrace on Wednesday.

Knuckledusters, explosives, two firearms, a motorcycle engine, electronic devices, outlaw motorcycle gang clothing, as well as cannabis and steroids were seized during the raids.

The three men were charged with multiple offences including demanding property in company with menaces and intention to steal, stalk, intimidate and participating in a criminal group.

All three men remain behind bars.

Police also arrested a 23-year-old man who was charged with handling an explosive or precursor without a licence, possessing an unauthorised pistol, and possessing a prohibited weapon without permit.

He was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court on June 21.