Police raid Hells Angels bikers allegedly planning rival murder
German police staged raids against the Hells Angels motorcycle gang in three states on Monday morning, searching for evidence of plans to murder a rival group member, prosecutors reported. More than 900 officers took part in searching 22 apartments and four other buildings in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bavaria. They had an arrest warrant for at least one Hells Angels member on charges of attempted murder, prosecutors in the Baden-Württemberg town of Pforzheim said.
The raids came in response to a brawl in late November between the Hells Angels and an association of doormen called United Tribuns. At least three gang members were injured during the fight in Pforzheim, with one person sustaining life-threatening wounds. Shots were fired during the clash, after which police arrested more than 20 suspects.
Monday’s raids centred on stemming an alleged revenge attack on leaders of United Tribuns, the prosecutors said.
The actions followed another series of raids last week in the state of Hesse. There police are investigating the alleged collusion of several high-level law enforcement officials with the biker gang.
Apartments and offices belonging to several police officers with contact to the gang were searched, the Hessian state Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA) said.
Among the suspects is one of the LKA’s own chief inspectors, they said. The 50-year-old allegedly gave Hells Angels confidential police information about bribery cases.
Five police officers suspected of involvement were suspended from duty with immediate effect.
The raids were organised as part of a drug dealing investigation against the Hells Angels run by the Frankfurt and Darmstadt state prosecutors' offices.
They followed November 24 searches that came in response to a Hells Angels holdup of another motorcycle club.
DPA/ka
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More than 900 officers took part in searching 22 apartments and four other buildings in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bavaria. They had an arrest warrant for at least one Hells Angels member on charges of attempted murder, prosecutors in the Baden-Württemberg town of Pforzheim said.
The raids came in response to a brawl in late November between the Hells Angels and an association of doormen called United Tribuns. At least three gang members were injured during the fight in Pforzheim, with one person sustaining life-threatening wounds. Shots were fired during the clash, after which police arrested more than 20 suspects.
Monday’s raids centred on stemming an alleged revenge attack on leaders of United Tribuns, the prosecutors said.
The actions followed another series of raids last week in the state of Hesse. There police are investigating the alleged collusion of several high-level law enforcement officials with the biker gang.
Apartments and offices belonging to several police officers with contact to the gang were searched, the Hessian state Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA) said.
Among the suspects is one of the LKA’s own chief inspectors, they said. The 50-year-old allegedly gave Hells Angels confidential police information about bribery cases.
Five police officers suspected of involvement were suspended from duty with immediate effect.
The raids were organised as part of a drug dealing investigation against the Hells Angels run by the Frankfurt and Darmstadt state prosecutors' offices.
They followed November 24 searches that came in response to a Hells Angels holdup of another motorcycle club.
DPA/ka
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