Police in Austria have seized hundreds of weapons, thousands of weapon parts, huge stockpiles of ammunition, Nazi flags, drugs and other illegal items during searches of members of the international motorcycle club Bandidos Motorcycle Club. That late the Austrian Ministry of the Interior know.
Earlier this week, raids took place in thirteen different places, with at least six people arrested. According to the ministry, most members of ‘outlaw motorcycle gangs’ come from right-wing extremist backgrounds and the ‘willingness to use violence and affinity with weapons is extremely high’ among these members.
Police seized some 35 rifles, 25 machine guns, 100 handguns, more than 1,000 weapon parts, 400 signal pistols, more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition and grenade launchers. The weapons were worth about 1.5 million euros in total. In addition, the police found flags with swastikas, military uniforms and helmets. One kilo of cocaine and about five kilos of cannabis were also found.
One of the biker gang members arrested was, according to the authorities, a ringleader of the former neo-Nazi group Object 21. All six of the arrested members are middle-aged Austrian citizens, who have previously come under police scrutiny for violence, extortion and hate speech against migrants and Jews.
Weapons have also been found elsewhere in Europe during raids on the Bandidos. For example, the police in Germany raided the motorcycle club, seizing weapons and ammunition. In 2015 raids took place in the Netherlands and two years later the motorcycle club was banned by the court.
2023-06-29 18:00:34
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