Ex-bikie leader accused of worksite threat to family

A worker on a construction site was left fearing for his family's safety after receiving threatening messages from former Comancheros bikie leader Bemir Benji Saracevic, according to a Queensland inquiry into the CFMEU. Cody Raymond, a crane operator on the Centenary Bridge upgrade project in Brisbane, reported the incident involving Saracevic, who allegedly told Raymond he had been sent from Melbourne to harm him and his family.

Raymond reported the threats to Rob Pickard, the Queensland and Northern Territory manager for BMD Group and joint venture partner Georgiou Group. Pickard denied offering additional security but stated that he could connect Raymond with support services. The inquiry heard that Saracevic, along with two other Comancheros members, flew to Brisbane from Melbourne on June 5, 2024, for a confrontation at the construction site.

The allegations raise concerns about the influence of bikie gangs on construction sites and the stress placed on CFMEU workers by the union's activities.