Mongrel Mob

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The Mongrel Mob is a New Zealand gang formed and organised in Hastings, New Zealand, largely from the 1970s. The group offers a surrogate family for disenfranchised young men and is known to be increasingly active in organised crime. Members are predominantly from New Zealand's Māori or Pacific Islander community. The gang currently operates in many cities within New Zealand; some of the most well known chapters include Mongrel Mob Notorious and Mongrel Mob Rogues. Mob members are notorious for their tattooed faces.

It is believed the term "mongrel mob" originated from the comments of a District Court Judge in the Hawkes Bay in the late 1960s, when he referred to a group of men before him as "nothing but a pack of mongrels"[1]. The name stuck, and later, similarly named groups sprang up around the country, forming their own independent chapters.

Today there is a network of more than thirty Mongrel Mob chapters throughout New Zealand. They are especially active in Kawerau, Rotorua and Auckland.[2][3][4] The Mongrel Mob's main rivals are a gang called Black Power and there have been several very public and violent clashes between the two gangs over the years.

In 2007, the Mongrel Mob were involved in the shooting of the 2 year old daughter of a patched Black Power member Jhia Harmony Te Tua in Wanganui. A dispute between members of the two gangs at a rugby league game lead to the drive by, which was planned to kill Jhias father, however a stray bullet hit the two year old girl. Several members of the mob appeared in court over the matter. [5]

The Mongrel Mob were strong supporters of former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Robert Muldoon, and showed their respects at his 1992 state funeral.

The Mongrel Mob featured in a Sky One documentary called Ross Kemp on Gangs in which British actor Ross Kemp interviewed several current and former prominent members of the gang. The documentary revealed many older members dissatisfaction with the fact that the Mob is now involved in drug dealing.

The gang’s colours are predominantly red and black. The patches usually feature a Bulldog wearing a German Stahlhelm which supposedly is an image intended to offend. The patch is worn on the back of "patched members" – those considered loyal and trustworthy within the gang. The patch can also be tattooed on the member's body.

They also use the Swastika as one of their symbols, and use the Nazi phrase "Sieg Heil" which is German for "Hail [to] Victory".

[edit] References

  1. ^ TRUERED - The life of an ex-Mongrel Mob gang leader, page 2, by Tuhoe 'Bruno' Isaac with Bradford Haami, published by True Red Pukekohe N.Z. (2007). web site www.true-red.com
  2. ^ Gang shackles define life on the Ford Block - New Zealand Herald, Tuesday 25 July 2006
  3. ^ Police seize Mongrel Mob arms cache - New Zealand Herald, Friday 10 March 2006
  4. ^ Police say Mongrel Mob still criminals - Daily Post, Thursday 14 December 2006
  5. ^ source one news and nz herald website.

[edit] External links