One of the motorbikes confiscated during a search warrant as part of Operation Silk in June 2020. Photo / NZ Police
One of the motorbikes confiscated during a search warrant as part of Operation Silk in June 2020. Photo / NZ Police
A group of Mongols gang members are now facing fewer charges, as the defence was finally able to open its case today.
Mongols president Jim "JD" Thacker had 25 charges dismissed, while vice-president Hone Ronaki had 17.
The pair, along with seven other members, initially faced a total of 118 charges relating to drug dealing and supply, firearms, aggravated robbery and money laundering when their trial kicked off in August.
But this morning Justice Melanie Harland read out a list of charges each defendant would have dismissed.
South Island president Jason Ross, 46, had one dropped, while sergeant at arms Leon "the wolf" Huritu had 8, and Kelly Petrowski had five charges dismissed.
Matthew Ramsden had one dismissed, Kane Ronaki four, Te Reneti Tarau one, and a 28-year-old man with interim name suppression had eight axed.
Thacker also pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of a sweatshirt belonging to a member of the rival Greasy Dogs gang at Mt Maunganui on May 24, 2020.
A car blasted with bullet holes parked at a Haukore St, Hairini home. Photo / Sandra Conchie
The accused are either "office holders", members, or associates of the Mongols from around the country, including Hawke's Bay, Christchurch and Auckland.
The Crown alleges they were responsible for the commercial supply of drugs throughout New Zealand and were involved in "tit-for-tat" shootings with rival gangs, including one in Tauranga, where Mongols members fired 96 rounds of ammunition at a house where children were.
The gang allegedly obtained, distributed and broke down quantities of drugs and sold them for profit. They used the firearms to service that drug trade, the crown claims.
The trial began in August and Thacker's defence counsel Bill Nabney was the first to open his case this morning.
He said his client wouldn't give evidence but he did call a defence witness; Thacker's uncle, Andrew Pinikera, who was living near Brisbane when his nephew was there.
Pinikera spoke of Thacker's business, Taking Care of Bikes, and how busy it was.
He said TCB initially started as a motorbike detailing business before it "just grew into a huge" bike business that also had a couple of employees.
He also recalled seeing Thacker's Harley Davidson Fat Boy motorbike in his workshop one day and stating that he "fell in love with that bike the first time I saw it".
He knew it was priced out of his range but hoped to one day "play the uncle card" in an unlikely deal to buy it off his nephew.
Pinikera said TCB, which was located just out of Brisbane, also sponsored a junior Aboriginal rugby league team and had an extensive range of merchandise.
In her cross-examination, crown prosecutor Anna Pollett asked him how often he would visit his nephew.
"Oh it depends, really ... some occasions I see him every week, sometimes three or four times a week."
When asked if he'd heard TCB referred to as Taking Care of Business, he said he'd heard the name but "not particularly" referring to Thacker's shop.
He said he couldn't comment on the business and how profitable it was, however he didn't want to accept that Thacker was deported from Australia as part of the 501 regime.
"I wouldn't say deported," he said when asked by Pollett.
She told him that Thacker had a number plate labelled, 'Deport', and asked whether that changed his mind.
"He was sent back to New Zealand, yeah," he replied.
Pinikera, who is not a gang member, said he was unaware his nephew was president of the Mongols in New Zealand, but knew he was associated with gangs when living here and in Australia.
When asked whether he was aware that the Bandidos, "operate outside of the law", he replied, "well ... I have ridden with them".
The question was put to him again and he replied, "yeah, oh yeah, I'm guessing so ... I do rides with all the clubs".
He said he was also unaware his "whangai nephew", Horotiu, was a member of the gang.
