Introduction
There exist about 33,000 violent gangs among street gangs, motorcycle gangs, and prison gangs a population of members active in committing criminal acts. Most of them are sophisticated and properly organized. They employ violence to control their territories and make robust their money making activities that far include; robbery, fraud, drug and gun trafficking, prostitution rings, and extortion (Barker, 2007).
A report released by the National Gang Threat Assessment in 2011, shows that gangs are responsible for an average of 48% of criminal activities and up to a high of 90% in other jurisdiction. There are a number of motorcycles gang and included are the top ten most notorious biker`s gang in the U.S.A;
Vagos: they started in San Bernardino, CA in the 1960`s and the members of the club often wear green and bear a patch of the of the Norse god Loki riding a motorcycle. Free Souls was started in the late 1960`s in the state of Oregon and their patch consists of an ankh, an ancient Egypt symbol in the shape of a cross that is in the center of the motorcycle rim and tire (Barker, 2007).
Bandidos were founded in San Antonio, TX in 1966. This group has its patch bearing a cartoon – ishly obese Mexican that wears a large sombrero and carrying a machete in one hand and while the other hand carries a gun. Highwaymen were formed in Detroit, MI in 1954 (Barker, 2007).
Warlocks: It was founded in 1967 in Philadelphia, PA and gained its members after the Vietnam War. Sons of Silence who are part of the “1%er” motorcycle gang was founded in Niwot, Colorado in 1966.
Outlaw Motorcycle club: They started in 1935 in McCook, IL in Matilda`s Bar on old route 66. They have their insignia on Marlon Brando`s leather jacket in the Wild One. Pagans were formed in 1959 in Maryland and by 1965 they had expanded rapidly (Outlaw motorcycle club, 2010).
Mongols: Also known as Mongol nation or Mongol Brotherhood, they were formed in 1969 in Montebello, California from Hispanic bikers who were denied entry into the Hell`s Angels MC due to their race. Hell`s Angels MC is the most well-known American biker gang. They were formed around the 1940`s and the 1950`s in California (Mongol, 2013).
Of the clubs, Mongols were established on December 5, 1969 in the East Los Angeles area in the city of Montebello, California. The founding chapter comprised of fifteen members and it took a period of 5 years for other chapters such as; Long Beach, San Gabriel Valley, San Diego, los Angeles, and Bakersfield to be formed. This made the Mongols develop an immediate strong hold in an area where there was no other 1%er clubs. It was named after the ethnic group Mongols who conquered the largest attached empire in world history (Hayes, 2011).
The organization of the Mongols is in a hierarchical manner. It is headed by a Mother Chapter that is located in Commerce, California and a national president. Each of the individual Mongol chapter is headed by a president, then the Vice president, Sergeant-at-Arms, and a treasurer/secretary. The sergeant – at – arms may also be required to maintain records of membership application, maintains the firearms and weapons for the chapter, and oversee the evaluation of prospective members by private investigators (Abadinsky, 2000).
There is a frequent financial tribute paid to the Mother chapter by each chapter in form of dues, fees, and taxes. These funds are used partly for the funding and promotion of the organization`s activities and as well to pay for the legal expenses of Mongol members who are prosecuted for crimes committed on behalf of the organization (Mongol, 2013) .
The mother chapter is responsible in reviewing the membership applications, dispute resolution and issues incentives. This involves the awarding of members with patches of honor for acts of violence committed on behalf of the Mongols. The mother chapter is comprised of national officials and chapter officials may be called to the Mother chapter so as to present issues for deliberations.
They are identified by their garments that are colored gray or white silhouette lettering that spells out `Mongols` written on the back of the black leather vest. Other members not wearing the leather vests would often put on shirts with the motto Support Your Local Mongol or ‘MFFM’ that stands for (Mongols Forever, Forever Mongols). They ride American-made motorcycles such as Victory`s or Harley Davidson`s and they want to be known as the “baddest biker club rollin’ out there.” They refer to themselves as 1%ers due to the fact that they consider themselves as the group that doesn’t abide by the law (Hayes, 2011). This follows their slogan “When we do right nobody remembers, when we do wrong nobody forgets. Live Mongol, die Mongol.”
The females in the gang were allowed to wear a jacket that bears a `property of` patch and identifying the Mongol member to whom they are attached.
The process of becoming a member of the Mongol motorcycle club involves a prospect being a slave and a property of the club. This would involve doing whatever a member orders you to do from hauling of drugs and guns, getting a beer for a member, ad cleaning of a member`s bike. As a member it is required that a monthly fee to the club is given and attendance of the chapter meetings (Barker, 2007). The Mongols have a maintained leadership and structure. They have a written constitution that outlines guiding principles such as code of conduct and penalties for non – compliance to be adhered to.
A chapter in Canada has 10 “Commandments” for the particular chapter and includes;
- A Mongol never tells a lie to another Mongol
- A Mongol should never steal from another Mongol
- A Mongol never mess with another Mongol`s lady
- A Mongol never causes another Mongol get arrested in any manner
- A Mongol never uses his patch for any illegal activity, personal gain or any criminal act.
- A Mongol can never sell drugs or abuse drugs
- A Mongol should be in a legitimate employment either full time or in an active and legitimate bid of seeking gainful employment
- A Mongol either wearing a patch or not having one should never engage in any form of illegal activity or criminal act
- All Mongols should be respectful and be brotherly to one another and should never engage in a fight with a fellow Mongol
- A Mongol should always be there for another Mongol and always has another Mongol`s back.
This and other rules among the group members of each chapter made them increasingly cohesive a trait that contributed to the group`s success. The prospects to Mongol motorcycle gang are required to pass a vote of membership and swear some level of allegiance to the club so as to become a full member. During this time of initiation, the prospects are allowed to only put on the club`s name on their vests, but not the full logo (Davis, 2011).
Full membership endorsement by the other members other than a simple majority is required for a prospect to be accepted and is followed by a full induction where a new member affirms his loyalty to the club and its members (Davis, 2011). This then follows an award of a final logo patch which signifies full membership. Also the membership included members or former members of a large number of Los Angeles County street gangs, including the San Gabriel Valley, 18th Street, South Side Montebello, and Maravilla, Lott Stoner, and Varrio Nuevo Street gangs (Barker, 2007).
The experience of organized crime activity perpetrated by the Mongol motorcycle gang is in nearly every state and they go to great extents in making money and establish control of the territory (Abadinsky, 2000). Some of the illegal activities for profit making that the Mongol`s engage themselves in include;
Motorcycle theft
The stealing of motorcycle and motorcycle parts has been a trend since inception of the gang and the severity of the criminal acts range from the sale of the stolen bikes and parts to the re-documenting of the bike`s ownership. The cases included stealing of Harley Davidson motorcycles and shipping them to various overseas.
Money Laundering
The Operations of the Mongols on their involvement in the money laundering is through legitimate businesses they own. These businesses particularly include;
Western United States – In this area they majorly do business in interior decorating businesses, locksmiths, pizza parlors, construction companies, and jewelry businesses.
Central United States – In the central U.S they own businesses such as; towing companies, beauty shops, horse ranches, and construction companies.
Eastern United States – They Mongols are involved in businesses such as; vending machine companies, lawn services, horse ranches, and bodyguard services. Also throughout the entire United States the Mongols have business engagements in the real estate ventures that conceal their money laundering businesses.
Illegal weapons
The Mongols involvement in this endeavor of selling, transporting, and possessing of prohibited weapons, automatic machines, and explosives has grown to be one of their main incomes generating activity. The Mongols acquire their weapons from a variety of sources and ship them internationally to the other members of the gang.
Narcotics
This is a high income earner for the Mongols motorcycle gang and the major drug they deal in is methamphetamine and cocaine. Their trade still continues despite the increased enforcement efforts throughout the United States especially in California, Washington, and Oregon states. Their involvement in methamphetamine is aided by the availability of the precursor chemicals that are readily available.
In one of the largest swoop, the law enforcement officials arrested 61 Mongol members named in an 86 count federal racketeering indictment this stemming from a 28-month undercover investigation by an ATF agent (Queen, 2005). This led to the courts granting request for the order to seize any of the Mongol`s trademarks, name and logo, conviction of the accused against various crimes including drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit murder, and motorcycle theft.
It was way back in 1988, when a law enforcement veteran William Queen who loved motorcycles and didn’t have love for paper work took the chance to become an undercover agent. This was after an informant made contact with his boss at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, offered to take an agent inside one of the most dangerous gangs in America, the scourge of southern California and this was the San Fernando chapter of the Mongols (Queen, 2005).
This was going to be the beginning of the most extensive undercover duty or operation inside an outlaw motorcycle gang in the history of American law enforcement. Queen was unsuspecting of his successful penetration to the gang and to become a full patched – in member of the Mongols. He grew to ranks to the position of treasurer, and it is here that he unprecedentedly accessed the evidence of the Mongols criminal activities. William Queen spent twenty-eight months being known as Billy St. John, beer – swilling, Harley – riding gang – banger, until the truth of his identity became blurry even to himself. He had fully blended in the gang. This operation was known as ‘Operation Black Rain’.
During his initial `prospecting` period, Queen was at the clemency of crank – fueled criminals psychos who sought to have him test his nerve and to prove his fealty by any means possible. This far ranged from using drugs and selling them, arms trafficking, driving getaway cars, stealing motorcycles, and to the extent far unimagined as stitching up the face of a Mongol “ol` lady” after she was brutally beaten by her alleged boyfriend.
Agent William Queen came to see the candid camaraderie he shared with the gang despite the constant criminality of the gang which included gang rapes, and plans of cop killing which were businesses as usual. His undercover operation eventually made Queen to totally isolate from his family, ATF colleagues, his friends, and this made Mongols have the belief that they were his only family left. Despite their love for Billy Queen they would have hesitated not in killing him had they discovered his true identity (Falco & Droban, 2013).
This ATF agent William Queen at one time with his first sleight of hand with a line of methamphetamine that was before him and a knife held at his throat, to the fearsome face – off with their long old enemy who were the Hell`s angels. This brawl resulted in the death of three bikers, this notwithstanding he was present at a scene of a father detested at parent`s Night and this was because of his deranged – outlaw appearance that prohibited any interaction with the regular citizens. This was a successful operation that led to the prosecution of very notorious gang members and leaders and his success preceded his retirement from the service as an ATF agent (Queen, 2005).
Conclusion
In spite of the elusive attempts by some gang members` to repair their tainted image, Mongol motorcycle gang remains a threat to the society and should be subject of scrutiny and investigations that leads to vigorous prosecution of the guilty offenders. The Mongols have continued to deal in their criminal activities despite numerous attempts by law enforcement agencies in trying to combat their illegal activities.
In the previous decade, the law enforcement officers have successfully done investigations, arrested, and incarcerated members of the numerous motorcycle gangs inclusive of the Mongols motorcycle gang. This has prompted a more cautious approach to criminal activities perpetrated by the outlaw motorcycle gangs and form uncommon alliances with other motorcycle gangs.
In order for the law enforcement agencies to combat the organized problem, they need to expand their level of communication within themselves and with other law enforcement communities in other countries, and increase investigation efforts. Since gangs are increasingly sophisticated and engaged in non – traditional crimes and white collar crimes such as; mortgage fraud, identity theft, alien smuggling, and human trafficking the law enforcement agencies need to step up their efforts in minimizing these social vices committed by the motorcycle gangs.
These non – traditional methods used by law enforcers to combat the menace created by biker gangs involve successful placement of undercover officers within the gangs, civil forfeiture of illegally obtained proceeds that includes club houses, going after the patch, and civil abatement processes to seize buildings that are for use in conducting of criminal acts. This will eventually culminate in the reduction of criminal activities by outlaw motorcycle gang who account for 48% of violent crimes in most jurisdictions in the United States.
References
Queen, W. (2005). Under and alone: The true story of the undercover agent who infiltrated America's most violent outlaw motorcycle gang. New York: Random House.
Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs: Bandidos, Hells Angels, outlaw motorcycle club, Outlaws Motorcycle Club, Pagans Motorcycle Club, Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club, Mongols, Devils Disciples, list of outlaw motorcycle clubs, Warlocks Motorcycle Club, Rock Machine. (2010). Memphis: Books LLC.
Falco, C., & Droban, K. (2013). Vagos, Mongols, and Outlaws: My infiltration of America's deadliest biker gangs.
Hayes, B. (2011). The one percenter encyclopedia: The world of outlaw motorcycle clubs from Abyss Ghosts to Zombies Elite. Minneapolis, MN: MBI Publishing Co., Motorbooks.
Davis, D. C. (2011). Out bad: A true story about motorcycle outlaws. Charleston, S.C: CreateSpace.
Barker, T. (2007). Biker gangs and organized crime. Newark, NJ: LexisNexis Matthew Bender.
Abadinsky, H. (2000). Organized crime. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Mongols Nation (2013). The Mongols Motorcycle Club. Retrieved form the MongolsMC Website http://www.mongolsmc.com/index.php
