Topic:Construction and Real Estate Industry
The CFMEU inquiry has heard men linked to a bikie gang approached a worker at the Centenary Bridge site in 2024. (Supplied)
Three Melbourne men linked to the Comancheros bikie gang flew to Brisbane before one allegedly threatened a construction worker at a major government project, a commission of inquiry has heard.
Flight and phone records tendered to the probe into the CFMEU and construction sector revealed Bemir Saracevic, Krstomir Bjelogrlic and Mark Ahern arrived in Brisbane at around 11.20am on June 5, 2024.
Senior Counsel Assisting Eddy Gisonda KC told the inquiry the trio travelled to the Centenary Bridge upgrade site, where a crane operator said he was confronted around 12.30pm.
Mr Saracevic, known as Benji, was the former national president of the Comancheros, while Mr Bjelogrlic was his business partner. Mr Ahern was a former treasurer of the gang.
Senior Comancheros bikie Bemir 'Benji' Saracevic has been accused of threatening a CFMEU delegate during the union's dispute with a construction company on a major government-funded project in Brisbane. (Supplied)
Mr Gisonda said Gary Samuel, who ran security operator HOST at the construction site, had been on the phone and texting throughout the morning with senior management from contractor BMD, as well as Mr Saracevic.
Mr Samuel's phone also pinged near Brisbane Airport at about 11.50am.
"That's about the same time the three men are pinging data at the Brisbane Airport," he said.
"Do you want me to infer Mr Samuel picked those three men up and drove them to Centenary Bridge site," Commissioner Stuart Wood asked Mr Gisonda.
BMD had hired HOST to provide security on the site after ongoing CFMEU campaigns disrupted work on the project, the inquiry heard.
The crane operator on June 5, 2024 was Cody Raymond, a CFMEU delegate.
The inquiry heard accusations that police had failed to "enforce the law" during aggressive union disputes.
He is yet to give evidence to the inquiry, but in a workplace interview conducted eight days after the confrontation was tendered in evidence today.