Mongols MC gang affiliates crash on way to Christchurch event

The Mongols motorcycle gang established a chapter in New Zealand in 2019.

Two people affiliated with the Mongols MC gang crashed on their way to Christchurch for a planned event.

Detective Inspector Joel Syme said police were aware of a planned event in Christchurch this weekend involving members and associates of the Mongols MC.

On Friday morning, police were called to a crash involving two motorcycles travelling to the event. The crash on State Highway 1, north of Amberley, was reported to Police at 11.25am.

Inside the Mongols' South Island clubhouse near Christchurch. Photo / NZ Police

“Nobody was injured and the road was not blocked.”

Syme said additional police staff would be deployed in the city over the weekend to “closely monitor the behaviour” of those attending the event.

“Our expectations around these types of events are very clear and I can assure the community that we will have resources in place to respond to reports of unlawful behaviour.

“We also encourage the public to report any instances of unlawful activity and unsafe driving to us, so we can take appropriate action.”

After Operation Silk, several armed police raids of their Christchurch gang pad, and the unwanted attention of the homicide probe after Kane Wayman’s New Year party death, the Mongols no longer enjoy a large presence in Quake City.

Police officers spoken to by the Herald say their numbers are low, especially when compared to others in the city like the Tribesmen MC, or the Comancheros who recently patched over the rival Rebels and took over their Woolston clubhouse.

The Mongols' Christchurch gang pad had a fully-stocked bar, pool tables, stripper poles, and burn-out pad. Photo / NZ Police

In June, the South Island boss of the Mongols Jason Ross was sentenced to 12 years in jail as a result of Operation Silk. The jury in last year’s trial took five days to find eight members of the gang, including national president Jim Thacker, Mongols national vice-president Hone “H1″ Ronaki, Leon “Wolf” Huritu, Kelly “Rhino” Petrowski, Matthew Ramsden, dubbed the meth “washer” and processor, 24-year-old patched member Kane Ronaki, and Silver guilty on a host of charges.

Thacker was last month jailed for more than two decades.

If the activity was happening now, people were asked to call 111, or report non-urgent matters to police by calling 105 or going online to www.police.govt.nz/use-105.