OFF THE WIRE
KIEL, Germany _ German police were on Friday digging up the concrete foundations of a warehouse belonging to the Hells Angels for the body of a man who disappeared two years ago.
On Thursday, 1,200 police raided homes and clubhouses of the gang in northern Germany.
Police said the disappearance of 47-year-old Tekin Bicer, a resident of the northern city of Kiel with Turkish nationality, was being treated as suspicious. They believe his disappearance could be linked to a falling out with the gang over drug dealing.
Police had completely emptied the metal-clad warehouse on Thursday and used a special device to search for possible cavities in the cement floor. An excavator, a power drill and a power saw were then used to cut into the concrete.
The missing-person inquiry is linked to suspicion that a Kiel-based faction of the motorcycle gang forced women into prostitution and practiced bribery, assault and arms trafficking.
Police visited 89 properties including brothels, hotels and apartments linked to the Hells Angels, focusing on the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, whose capital is Kiel.
Prosecutors said police also raided the home of a far-right city council member on suspicion that he bought a gun from the gang.
Five leading members of the gang in Kiel were arrested, according to police. Preliminary investigations had also begun against 69 suspects.
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