Senior Mongols member jailed for four years over ‘large quantity’ of cocaine found in named lunch bag
A senior Cairns Mongols member has been jailed after police found a ‘large quantity’ of cocaine in a lunch bag bearing his name during an operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs.
A senior member of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang has been jailed after police found more than 100 grams of cocaine in a lunch bag with his name written on it.
Member of the Cairns chapter of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang and roofer, Shannon Brian Chapple, 37, pleaded guilty earlier this year to nine drug-related charges and one count of failing to provide access to his mobile phone.
He was sentenced last week by chief justice Helen Bowskill in Cairns Supreme Court to four years’ jail.
Crown prosecutor Nicole Friedewald told the court police were investigating outlaw motorcycle gang activity in Cairns as part of Operation Victor Jenga in 2023 when they raided a storage shed in Smithfield in October that year.
She said police understood Chapple was sergeant at arms of the Cairns City Mongols chapter at that time.
“In that shed (that was raided) and in that office, (police) found a lunch bag with the name ‘Chapple’ written on it,” Ms Friedewald said.
“Inside that lunch bag was a large quantity of cocaine separated into two clip seal bags.”
She said there was a total of 106 grams of cut cocaine inside the bags, with a total of 67.128 grams of pure cocaine.
Police also found “various vials” of steroids and testosterone, she said.
She said the bags were forensically examined, and Chapple was said to be more than 100 billion times likely to be a “contributor” to the DNA sample analysed from the bag.
The court was told Chapple had served jail time in Western Australia 10 years ago when he was busted at the airport after having stashed 217 gram of meth in a partner’s bag when he was a member of a different outlaw motorcycle gang.
The court was told his then-partner did not know about the drugs in her bag that time.
Chapple’s home was searched in May 2024, a year after the raid on the shed, when police found another smaller stash of cocaine and steroids.
They also found evidence on his mobile phone that he had supplied cocaine, despite Chapple refusing to provide a PIN to his mobile phone.
Chapple’s guilty pleas related to both raids, the court was told.
Defence barrister Martin Longhurst, instructed by Osborne Butler lawyers, said Chapple was a hardworking, family man with a well-regarded roofing business, and said his client was a drug-user with a one-third interest in the 100g amount.
He said he had a “sad history” of childhood trauma, neglect and drug dependence, which provided context for his involvement in outlaw motorcycle gangs.
“There are multiple paths that get people into this subculture. … Not all people are looking to be outlaw thugs in the community,” Mr Longhurst said.
“There is such a well-trodden path of men exposed to violence, drugs who seem to find kindred spirits.
“He liked the camaraderie, but he admits be also liked the partying and access to drugs.”
Mr Longhurst said Chapple had started a business and a family since moving to Cairns, and had three young children.
“He was functioning in the community … (he) tried to self-medicate with hard work, finding solace with his family … but had terrible weak spots in his life that would see him return to drug use,” Mr Longhurst said
Justice Bowskill said the families of drug offenders suffered alongside them.
“It is an appalling problem in our community and the only way we have to prevent it is to cause punishments that are harsh,” Justice Bowskill said.
Justice Bowskill sentenced Chapple to three-and-a-half years imprisonment on the count of aggravated possession of cocaine, and an extra six months for failing to provide the PIN code to his mobile phone.
She said the overall jail sentence would be four years, and set his eligibility date for parole in nine months time at August 27, 2026.
“You are not the first nor will you be the last where I say it is often the family who suffers the most,” she said.
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Originally published as Senior Mongols member jailed for four years over ‘large quantity’ of cocaine found in named lunch bag
