Mongols established Logan City and Bay Side chapters across SEQ

The Mongols’ aggressive expansion across the southeast is gathering pace with police on alert for tensions with rival gangs. How the gang is growing.

A number of Gold Coast Mongols have moved to the recently established Bayside chapter.

An outlaw motorcycle gang has established two more chapters across Southeast Queensland in just weeks in what police sources say is its most aggressive expansion since the infamous Broadbeach bikie brawl.

Photos obtained by the Bulletin from officers within the state’s Organised Crime Gangs Group show long-serving Gold Coast members of the Mongols have formed a new Bay Side chapter, which is understood to be based in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs.

It is understood former fighter and kickboxing champion Benny ‘Knuckles’ Mortimer is among the members to patch over to Bay Side. Mortimer is a high-ranking member of the gang and is patched to its world mother chapter So Cal, based in Southern California where the Mongols were founded in the late 1960s.

Kickboxing champion Benny ‘Knuckles’ Mortimer is a high-ranking member of the Mongols, patched to the gang’s world mother chapter, ‘So Cal’, based in Southern California.

Surfers Paradise chapter members Mark Hill, Saravut Promkhiew and Thomas Sams have also joined the Southeast’s newest chapter.

According to police sources, Sams is believed to have a close relationship with the Mongols’ Gold Coast-based National President, the notorious Nick ‘The Knife’ Forbes.

Under the Mongols Nation Constitution new chapters can only be established with the approval of the National President.

“All new chapters will have a mentor chapter and be put on a probationary period of one year minimum and will need a 100 per cent President’s vote to become an established chapter,” the constitution states.

“Any chapter having five or less members will have six months to increase their membership or the chapter will close.”

The leaked photos also appear to show the Bay Side chapter has adopted its first new recruit. Professional Muay Thai fighter Owen Promkhiew can be seen wearing a prospect patch.

Professional Muay Thai fighter Owen Promkhiew appears to have become a Mongols prospect.

Police sources say they are also aware that the Mongols have established a Logan City chapter within the past few weeks and are working to recruit prospects.

“The Mongols are by far the fastest expanding – not just in Queensland but worldwide,” a police source said.

“Within a few years they have gone from a single chapter on the Gold Coast to establishing chapters in Surfers (Paradise), Tweed Coast, West City (Ipswich), Cairns, Logan and Bayside.”

The officer, who works within a bikie task force, said police were closely monitoring the club’s expansion and weren’t sure whether it could escalate tensions with their rivals, the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang.

Nick 'The Knife' Forbes is the National President of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang. Picture: Floss Adams.

“It would come down to whether the two clubs have brokered some sort of deal – money talks when it comes to gangs,” the officer said.

“The Comos (Comanchero) seem to be building their numbers, and we know that they’re active up in Logan so the new Mongols push into the area could be seen as an act of provocation.

“I haven’t seen a resurgence like this since the Broadbeach brawl. That sent the clubs underground for a period and they’re coming back.”

The Mongols OMCG new Bay Side chapter established in Brisbane's east.

The Comanchero gang recently established their own Gold Coast chapter with convicted killer Nelson Patea appointed as Sergeant-at-Arms, while notorious club enforcer Paea Langioutu Talakai was the Commander. The pair were pictured wearing their new GC Crew patches alongside senior gang member, Wade Hopes, who is also the Commander of Western Australia’s Perth North chapter.

Originally published as Mongols established Logan City and Bay Side chapters across SEQ