Why the Comanchero are still Australia’s baddest bikies
It’s a crime family much like the Sopranos — just with more tattoos. The Comancheros have long had war within their own ranks, and a willingness to take its conflicts to the streets.
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The origins of Australia’s baddest bikie gang the Comanchero date back 40-odd years but it’s the tensions the bikie group has within its own factions, as well as with rival groups, that have resulted in violent public crimes.
Melbourne saw a glimpse into the group’s internal ructions with a terrifying daylight shooting at a Hampton Park tattoo parlour in Melbourne’s southeast on February 22, 2018.
Two men in a stolen silver Audi sedan pulled up outside Nitro Ink tattoo studio, with frightened shoppers fleeing when they noticed the men were armed.
Once inside they opened fire on the right-hand-man of Comanchero boss Mick Murray.
“This was clearly a message to Mick Murray and the Comanchero on that particular faction — we’ll get you,” Rule said on his Life and Crimes podcast.
“Whether this was in reprisal for something else or whether it was one they just thought of doing, it’s hard to know, but it certainly a very violent act and one that probably we’ll see more violence.”
Australia’s bikie wars began in the 1980s when the Comancheros split, forming the Bandidos. It reached a peak with the Milperra massacre, Australia’s most notorious bikie shootout, in 1984.
Rule said Comancerho founder Jock Ross was inspired by the movie Zulu and planned to stage a ‘horns of the buffalo’ manoeuvre when the two clubs faced off at Milperra, hoping to trap the incoming Bandido members.
But the rival club arrived late, and well-armed.
They caught the Comancheros, who had retired to the pub when the other gang failed to show on time – off-guard.
Today tensions still exist at the top in Victoria, in-house as well as with other clubs.
Rule says interstate bikies began calling Victoria ‘Switzerland’ as it lacked the strict non-association laws other states had introduced.
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WHO ARE THE COMANCHERO?
— The Comanchero was founded by Scotsman William George ‘Jock’ Ross in Sydney in the late 60s or early 70s.
—Ross was a former soldier and wanted his club to operate like a military unit, a disciplined brotherhood.
— When infighting between the younger and older members began, Ross’ follower Anthony “Snodgrass” Spencer defected from the Comanchero to start the first Australian chapter of the Bandidos, an American bikie gang in the 1980s.
— The Comanchero bikie club has expanded from its Sydney base into Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, and into Europe.
— Club positions include president, commander, vice-president, sergeant-at-arms and secretary.
— Mick Murray has been the Comanchero national president in the 2010s to current date, but may step down from the position due to ailing health issues.
— Other notable Comanchero members have included ex Victorian boss Jay Malkoun.
— Leadership has been in dispute of recent years, with newcomers such as male model Hasan Topal vying for control.
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