Finks say patch-over to Mongols will restore core values, curb criminal acts and drug use Dozens of Mongols Motorcycle Club members go on a victory ride. Courtesy: Mongols MC A BIKIE insider says the South Australian Finks backed a Mongols takeover because members had accepted the gang needed to "change or die." The senior member has told The Advertiser that veterans of the gang had grown tired of the lawlessness of young recruits and saw the Mongols' strict constitution as the way to rebuild. For the first time, the club has publicly released an internal document - an alcohol and drugs policy - which it says members must abide by or be automatically expelled. SA Police have dismissed the insider's claims, saying they amount to nothing more than propaganda. More: Police warn no reprieve as Mongols take over Finks But the insider insists the club has broken its silence to combat the "hysteria" generated over "ludicrous" claims that members were plotting to shoot police officers. Police raid the Finks - now Mongols - clubhouse at Thebarton. "We had followed the Mongols and watched how they rebuilt their club and they went from being a gang back to being a bike club," the insider said. The Finks were heading down the wrong road ... if it kept going, we wouldn't even exist in five years. It was out of control - even we could see that - but we couldn't do anything about it ... we had to change or die, it was that simple. In October, The Advertiser revealed that Finks nationwide - including many of the South Australian chapter's 56 members - had "patched over" to the Mongols . The move makes the Mongols, who have an estimated 600 members in the US, the largest bikie gang in Australia with 400 members. The Mongols charter, provided to The Advertiser by the Finks, states any member using, selling, transporting or even possessing illegal drugs will be expelled from the club. The same fate will befall any member convicted of murder, rape, robbery or burglary, while bikies who fail to maintain "a high degree of sobriety" face disciplinary action. More: Police seek court order to tear down Mongols' Thebarton clubhouse fortifications More: Dylan Jessen tells why he's leaving the Finks The code of conduct was drafted by the US-based gang in the wake of a major 2008 undercover operation that decimated the club's ranks. Mongols in the US claim that, while disgruntled bikies did leave the club, the code of conduct was a success because "just a handful" of members had been arrested since 2009. Yesterday, the Finks insider said change was needed in Adelaide because members had "drifted away from core values" - although he would not be drawn on what they were. "We needed to change the culture ... we had drifted away from everything that the Finks were originally created to be," he said. There was no structure to pull people into line, there were no consequences, we had more members in jail than any other club. More: Plenty of reasons to fear Mongols takeover It was like communism - it's idealistic to imagine that everyone was equal, but in reality, it doesn't work. Police raid the Finks clubhouse at Thebarton. That's why we had to change everything, we had to patch over and adopt a strong constitution or we would cease to exist. The insider said resistance was expected when senior Finks first proposed the patch over - instead there was "overwhelming support." "It was what people wanted ... they've all seen the constitution, they voted for it unanimously," he said. More: Inside the world's most notorious bikie gangs He revealed some members had "struggled" with the strict new code and walked away., as had Mongols in the US. "That's fine, we can't waver now," he said. We've started this, we have to finish it ... it was time to clean house. A police spokeswoman yesterday said the Mongols' claims should not be believed. "The culture, behaviour and criminality of members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club in other jurisdictions is well documented as is that of the Finks Motorcycle Club in South Australia," she said. This is merely a public relations exercise - it doesn't fool police and it certainly won't fool the public. More: Go behind the Mongols clubhouse doors SA Police will continue to focus on outlaw motorcycle gangs based upon their behaviour and the intelligence received. One high-profile bikie who refused to join the new breed was Dylan Jessen, who is in custody awaiting sentence on firearms offences. In June and August, Jessen wrote to the District Court saying he was leaving behind both the Finks and his "hard and horrible past." Last week, the court heard police had intercepted a call between Jessen and a club member in which the young man refused to patch over, saying he wanted to be a family man. Mongols Alcohol, Drugs and Criminal Conviction Policy Any member using, selling, transporting or possession heroin, cocaine or any other illegal drug which includes marijuana shall be automatically expelled from the club. Any members convicted of any serious felony including, but not limited to, murder, rape, robbery, or burglary shall be automatically expelled from the club as soon as the conviction is final. No member shall inject or be injected with any illegal drug or face automatic expulsion from the club; the only exception is a valid and proven legal medication. Officers in charge at a club function shall maintain a high degree of sobriety or face disciplinary action. No member shall smoke cocaine or speed. Violations will result in expulsion from the club. If a Brother with a drug problem comes to the club and asks for help, rather than getting caught, an exception can be made depending on the circumstances. The club is not responsible for lawyers or bail bondsmen unless a national officer has authorised it. If a member knowingly acts out on his own and is arrested for guns, drugs or any illegal activity, it is not the responsibility of the club to provide a lawyer or a bail bondsman for his actions. Source: Mongols Motorcycle Club charter