The Berlin state government has banned the biker club "Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Berlin Central" (HAMC Berlin Central) and a linked group called "MP 81 Berlin Central," saying the organizations were substitutes for ones already ruled illegal in 2012.

The ban came as investigators searched more than 40 apartments, holding cells and a clubhouse in the Berlin district of Reinickendorf, as well as premises in the states of Brandenburg, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

Substitute groups

The two groups sprang up after the organizations "HAMC Berlin City" and "MG 81" were banned more than 10 years ago, with the measure becoming final and absolute in 2020.

According to the Berlin government, the "HAMC Berlin Central" is one of three Hells Angels charters located in Berlin and has the same unconstitutional aims as its predecessor.

"Today's ban makes it clear that we do not look away when a newly created organization takes the place of an association that was already banned in 2012 and acts as a substitute for it," said Iris Spranger, the state's senator for domestic affairs.

Worldwide organization

The ban means it is now illegal to distribute symbols of the group and its supporting association or to display them openly, authorities said.

They said the two clubs were also now forbidden to carry out any activities in Germany and that their funds had been confiscated.

The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is the largest motorcycle club in the world, with so-called charters in 59 countries. It is considered by many authorities across the globe as a crime syndicate.

HAMC members have been accused of several criminal activities in Germany, including murder.

tj/sms (dpa, AFP, epd)

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