Police in Duisburg say more than 1,000 officers raided over 100 properties across Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria and the Netherlands early this morning, targeting a money-laundering network tied to the Hells Angels motorcycle gang.
Duisburg prosecutors are leading the operation, backed by the state office for fighting financial crime. Most of the searches took place in North Rhine-Westphalia, with six more properties searched in other German states and seven abroad, in Belgium, Bulgaria and the Netherlands.
Investigators are looking into 71 people, including those who ran the money-laundering network in Germany and other European countries, as well as senior members of the motorcycle gang. They are suspected of setting up a criminal organization, extortion, organized fraud and money laundering. Police are also looking into weapons offenses, assault and tax evasion.
Authorities want to seize 48.6 million euros in assets, and several arrest warrants are also expected. Special police units entered the home of a senior gang member in Duisburg.
A Duisburg police spokeswoman said the raid also targets a criminal organization. News agency DPA reports that organization is the Hells Angels.
The investigation has been running for more than four years. It began after a shootout in Duisburg in May 2022 between bikers and members of a Turkish-Lebanese family group, involving more than 100 people.