The president of Australia’s biggest bikie gang, Alex Vella, has been locked out of his country while paying a visit to his relatives in Malta.

Known as the Maltese Falcon, Mr Vella reportedly had his visa cancelled on grounds that he was not of sound character.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison confirmed he cancelled Mr Vella’s visa on Friday “using the character provisions of the Migration Act”.

The move means that the 60-year-old, who has lived in Australia for more than 45 years but was never given citizenship, will have to fight his way back to Australia. Mr Vella, a former boxer, moved to Australia in the 1960s and is the national president of the Rebels Motorcycle Club. He is believed to still be in Malta but could not be traced yesterday.

It is not the first time Mr Vella has faced visa problems. There were several attempts by previous governments and the police to have the visa cancelled but Mr Vella had always been in the country at the time. The Australian Crime Commission was working behind the scenes to have him barred from going back to the country and the visa was reportedly cancelled on grounds of character when he flew to Malta.

According to Australia’s Daily Telegraph, the development is a massive blow to the 2,000-strong gang. The Rebels are considered the most powerful outlaw motorcycle gang in the country and Mr Vella became a hero for his toughness as a boxer.

He was meant to appear in the Supreme Court this month, after police earlier this year challenged the alleged use of his western Sydney property as a bikie clubhouse.