Germany, Suspected dirty cops collude with Hells Angels

OFF THE WIRE
Police in the German state of Hesse conducted raids on Friday morning for an investigation focusing on the alleged collusion of several high-level law enforcement officials with the Hells Angels 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, two of them belonging to Frankfurt’s police force, the LKA said. The 36 and 33-year-old commissioners are also suspected of violating narcotics laws.

The raids were organised as part of a drug dealing investigation against the Hells Angels run by the Frankfurt and Darmstadt state prosecutors' offices. The searches were mainly in Offenbach, the gang's headquarters and where several drug dealers were arrested in recent weeks with amphetamines and marijuana.

Seven apartments in the Rhine-Main region, including those of the Hells Angels president and vice president, were also searched in connection with the Usingen shooting of a 45-year-old gang member in mid-October, the officials said. The victim’s arm was injured in the drive-by shooting that investigators believe may have been ordered by the gang as punishment.

Officials also have their sights on a 40-year-old Wiesbaden restaurant owner suspected of dealing weapons in connection with the Hells Angels.

The raids followed searches on November 24 that came in response to a Hells Angels holdup of another motorcycle club.

http://www.thelocal.de/national/20101210-31729.html