Comanchero and Nomads make bid for bikie revival by signing new members

The Comanchero bikie gang has gone on a recruitment drive in Western Sydney, while the Nomads have had to look interstate and internationally to boost their numbers.

The Comanchero bikie gang has gone on a recruitment drive in Western Sydney, signing up about 30 new members, according to underworld sources.

Most of the new nominee members are young Islander, Afghan and African men from the Blacktown area.

It is believed the Comanchero decided to bolster its base after its ranks were ­depleted following the recent arrests of a number of members during a NSW police ­operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.

But rival gang the Nomads have been forced to take their recruiting drives interstate and even overseas because of NSW Police scrutiny.

Nomads national president Sleiman “Simon” Tajjour.

It comes as the Nomads’ national president Sleiman Tajjour was released after two years behind bars.

Senior NSW police would not comment on specific bikie chapters but said it was not unusual to see gangs periodically try to boost their numbers.

“The Comanchero have and will continue to be a target for as long as they continue to do criminal activity,” the officer said.

“Bikie gangs live off intimidation and if they have larger numbers than rival criminal groups they can then flex their so-called muscle.

“We have seen it with the Rebels years ago which had massive numbers nationally and also the Bandidos in Sydney for a while.

“These gangs like to target vulnerable young men ­especially from immigrant populations.”

Over recent months Strike Force Raptor made significant inroads into the ­Nomads, considered one of the most violent gangs in southwest Sydney.

The crackdown continued during a week-long operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs last week in which a 26-year-old man was handed a firearms prohibition order after a stun gun and cannabis was allegedly found at his Riverwood house.

Tajjour - the cousin of John Ibrahim - was recently released from jail after two years behind bars. Picture: Instagram

With their ranks under constant pressure from police in NSW, bikie sources said the Nomads have turned to Victoria, Perth and even ­Indonesia to keep up their membership.

“A whole heap of Mongols have joined them in Victoria, (Mongols president) Toby Mitchell must be having a heart attack,” the source said. “They’ve patched over four Bandidos chapters and the Finks in Bali and in Perth, too.”

In the absence of Tajjour there have been a number of people who have tried to resurrect the once prominent gang without success.

But the club’s biggest issue, a leadership vacuum, looks set to remain for some time to come.

Tajjour, the cousin of John Ibrahim, may be out of jail but is understood to be laying low while on parole.

While it remains to be seen if he will once again become active with his old club, it ­appears he has joined his ­Instagram-famous ex-bikie brother Moudi on social media, creating the handle @simotajjour.

Originally published as Comanchero and Nomads make bid for bikie revival by signing new members