The Australian government and law enforcement consider the Rebels to be a criminal organisation, but the club claims to be a group of motorcycle enthusiasts rather than gangsters.

[6] In November 2000, police raided Rebels clubhouses in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia and seized drugs, firearms and even a crocodile.

[10] Edin "Boz" Smajovic, a Bosnian refugee and Rebels member, was shot dead at the Macarthur Auto Centre in Campbelltown, New South Wales.

[11] On 18 May 2009, Michael Paul Falzon was sentenced to ten years in prison for the trafficking of methamphetamine, which he had been producing in Mackay, Rockhampton and Dalby and used the Rebels to transport and sell it throughout Queensland and South Australia.

[13] The defection of Rebels MC members to the Rock Machine MC sparked an ongoing violent feud between the groups, when the Rock Machine settled in Perth in 2009 there was allegations by media that a turf war broke out between the two rival motorcycle clubs, with exchanges between the two groups including firebombings, assaults and the assassination attempt in 2011 of Rebels WA president Nick Martin, who survived being shot, tensions remain ongoing.

[14] On 14 April 2012, Anthony Perish (a Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club member), his brother Andrew (a Rebels Motorcycle Club member) and Matthew Lawton were sentenced to eighteen, nine and fifteen years respectively imprisonment for the homicide of convicted Sydney drug trafficker Terry Falconer, as well as firearms and drug dealing offences.