10 Mongols arrested during annual meetup in Palm Springs

A motorcycle gang known for violence, drugs and human trafficking returned to the Coachella Valley over the weekend for its annual meetup.

Hundreds of Mongol Motorcycle Club members took over the Palm Springs Hilton hotel. Motorcycles began arriving near Highway 111 and Racquet Club at about 11 a.m. on Friday.

The Palm Springs Police Department said Monday morning that 10 Mongols were arrested over the weekend. The charges were mostly for minor narcotics violations and outstanding warrants, according to police.

Hotel management said it expected somewhere between 300 and 500 members of the group coming to stay at the hotel. As of Thursday afternoon, some members were already at the hotel but the majority rode into town on Friday.

This is the fourth year that the Mongols have stayed here at the Hilton.

“They have been coming here for quite a few years and we have never had any issues. They are confined to our hotel and they have a great time,” said Aftab Dada, the general manager of the Palm Springs Hilton. Dada says the members of the group are respectful and never threaten or mistreat hotel staff.

The Palm Springs Police Department will be stepping up patrols with multiple agencies from across the valley assisting. There will be a large police presence around the hotel and in the city. In past years there have been multiple arrests when the Mongols come to the desert, but there have been no recorded incidences of violence.

“We have been very fortunate at this point and I think we can attribute that to the significant amount of resources that we bring in,” said Sgt. William Hutchinson of the Palm Springs Police Department. “We make sure that the group is aware of our presence and the presence of the multiple agencies that we have to deal with any problems that they [Mongol members] may decide to bring to us.”

The Mongols are expected to leave town on Sunday afternoon and evening.