Police executed search warrants on Mongols MC related properties across the Bay of Plenty on Tuesday morning. Video / Mike Scott / Brett Phibbs
A Mongols member riding off a Cook Strait ferry at Picton ahead of the gang’s anniversary meeting in Christchurch had his bike impounded amid a heavy police response to the outlaw club’s festivities this weekend.
Police have been cracking down on Mongols Motorcycle Club members, who are travelling to the southern city this weekend for the fifth anniversary of the gang setting up the Christchurch chapter of the notorious international bikie gang.
Meanwhile, neighbours of the Ōtautahi East chapter’s pad in Cuffs Rd were reporting all-night festivities on social media, including fireworks and motorbikes revving up and down the road all night.
Police on Saturday morning established a checkpoint in Cuffs Rd and were seen stopping Mongols members on bikes.
A Mongols member on Cuffs Rd, Christchurch, during the gang's fifth anniversary festivities today. Photo / George Heard
As of Friday, six patched Mongols members and associates had been arrested, Christchurch police said. Immigration NZ also blocked the entry of several patched Mongols members who were planning to travel to the Garden City from the US, where the gang was formed in Los Angeles in the 1960s.
It’s understood they were expected to travel on Saturday from the Cuffs Rd pad to a property in Burnham linked to the gang, and raided earlier this week.
At the Burnham property on State Highway 1, south of Christchurch on Saturday afternoon, two people in Mongols regalia were stationed outside as security. Police in unmarked cars were stopping every vehicle that left the property.
A Mercedes-Benz vehicle that left the Mongols property in Burnham on Saturday afternoon is stopped by police on State Highway 1. Photo / George Heard
A Mongols member is seen near the police checkpoint on Cuffs Rd on Saturday morning. Photo / George Heard
Canterbury District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill said police from the Tasman District met a number of Mongols members and associates as they disembarked from the ferry at Picton on Friday.
“Two drivers linked to the event were forbidden to drive, and one motorcycle was impounded by Tasman Police,” Hill said.
Police established a checkpoint near the Mongols East chapter pad in Wainoni after neighbours reported a raucous night of festivities. Photo / George Heard
“The group was actively policed as they travelled south through Kaikōura and into Canterbury District.”
At a truck stop at Glasnevin in north Canterbury, police established a checkpoint, where every member of the convoy was stopped and spoken to and their vehicles inspected, Hill said.
As part of that checkpoint, a senior member was forbidden to ride, as the bike he was riding did not comply with the conditions of his licence. A patched Mongols member also had his invalid driver licence confiscated.
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