The Herald understands that several members and associates from the North Island are descending on the Garden City later in the week.
The Herald understands that several members and associates from the North Island are descending on the Garden City later in the week.
A number of international patched members and associates of the notorious Mongols Motorcycle Club have been blocked entry to New Zealand for the outlaw bikie gang’s fifth-anniversary event in Christchurch this weekend.
Immigration NZ and police have been monitoring attempts by members and associates of overseas Mongols MC chapters to come into the country this week.
Police are keeping a close tab on the gang ahead of this weekend’s event and raided a fortified property in the eastern Christchurch suburb of Wainoni this morning.
The Herald understands that several members and associates from the North Island are descending on the Garden City later in the week.
And now, the Herald can reveal that others have been blocked at the border.
Immigration NZ confirmed that officials are “aware that some members and associates from Mongols Motorcycle Club international chapters will attempt to travel to New Zealand to participate in the fifth-anniversary event this weekend”.
Photos of inside the Mongols gang pad in Burnham, Christchurch after police raided it as part of Operation Khan.
“We are not in a position to confirm the number of visa applications received by those with ties to the club at this time, however, we can confirm that a small number of foreign nationals who have attempted to travel for this event have been determined to be ineligible for travel or entry,” said Jock Gilray, Immigration NZ acting deputy chief operating officer.
“Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is actively working with NZ Police to identify and assess the eligibility of any others who may attempt to travel.”
In general, anyone travelling to New Zealand must be of “good character” and meet character requirements to either be granted a visa or entry into New Zealand.
According to INZ, an individual may not meet character requirements if they have a criminal conviction; they have been deported, removed or excluded from another country; or INZ has reason to believe they may be a risk to New Zealand’s security, public order or public interest.
Canterbury District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill earlier said a police operation would be “in place to ensure the maintenance of the law across this time”.
“We will be utilising resources from the other two South Island districts,” Hill said.
“Police will be monitoring the event closely and will take swift action if any criminal offending is identified.”
Police have raided the Mongols MC gang headquarters near Burnham, Christchurch, several times over the past five years. Photo / Kurt Bayer
The Mongols came into Christchurch in late 2019, after national president Jim David “JD” Thacker, a 501 deportee, patched over ex-members of the notorious Hells Angels international bikie group, including Jason Ross, who would be made the local president.
In November 2019, there was a high-level gang gathering at the city’s Crowne Plaza Hotel, police intel reports would later reveal.
By early 2020, Mongols MC gang patches - with the distinctive symbol of Genghis Khan riding a motorcycle - had been spotted in the city and there was soon tension with other local gangs, including the Tribesmen and the King Cobras.
The Mongols set up a southern gang headquarters on a two-hectare rural section near Burnham Military Camp, which has been raided by police multiple times over the past five years.
He was snared in Operation Silk – a vast police operation targeting the establishment of the Mongols in the Bay of Plenty in 2019 and the subsequent distribution of methamphetamine and other drugs throughout the country. The police probe also resulted in national president Jim “JD” Thacker being jailed for more than two decades.
