Over 100 members of biker gangs were arrested by police in a co-ordinated effort against 18 gang strongholds across Zealand yesterday.
Police confiscated guns, knives, axes, drugs and anabolic steroids in the raids, which were an attempt to assert control ahead of a gang war they suspect is brewing.
“Finding both weapons and guns is satisfying, but these finds are not the most important part of the action” Svend Foldager from Copenhagen Police told the tabloid BT. “Today’s raids sent a clear message to the bikers: We will not accept a potentially violent conflict between the Hells Angels and the Bandidos to develop.”
The police’s sources within the gang community suggest escalating tension between the gangs. In the past week alone, there have been two stabbings and an attempted hit and run.
On Tuesday, the night before the raids, a 17.5 tonne unmanned truck with a brick on the accelerator ploughed into a property used by the Bandidos on Amager.
Police suspect the incident was carried out by the Hells Angels support group AK81.
Almost all of those that were arrested yesterday in the co-ordinated effort between Zealand police forces, the anti-gang unit Task Force East and Rigspolitiet have since been released, including the 40 arrested by Copenhagen Police.
North Zealand Police have kept six people in custody, however, including the European leader of the Bandidos gang, Michael ‘The Chef’ Rosenvold, according to TV2 News.
Henrik Suhr from North Zealand Police would not confirm, however, that Rosenvold was among those that will be presented in court today.
“We found some guns during the raid which means we will be presenting six people in court with a view to have them held in remand,” Suhr told TV2 News.
The last war between the Hells Angels and Bandidos culminated in 1996 with a rocket attack that killed two people and a shooting at Copenhagen Airport that left one dead and four injured.