Police officer and officials under suspicion in money-laundering raid against Hells Angels
More than 1,000 police officers search facilities simultaneously across five federal states and three neighbouring countries. A police officer and municipal officials from Duisburg are suspected of passing on confidential information.
Large-scale raid against money-laundering network
More than 1,000 police officers moved in simultaneously across multiple locations in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Berlin and Rhineland-Palatinate on the morning of the operation. According to n-tv, the investigation targets a money-laundering network centred on "Hells Angels" bikers. Searches also took place in the Netherlands, Belgium and Bulgaria. The Duisburg Public Prosecutor's Office is leading the investigation, supported by the Office for Combating Financial Crime in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Suspicion against officials
A police officer and two municipal officials from Duisburg have come under investigation. They are suspected of passing on information obtained in the course of their duties to third parties. A spokesman for the Duisburg Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed: "We can confirm that in the course of the investigation, there has been sufficient factual evidence that a police officer and two municipal officials passed on information obtained in the course of their duties to third parties."
In addition, a further municipal official from Duisburg is being investigated on suspicion of bribery. The allegation is that he accepted money payments in return for granting favours.
Origins of the investigation
The investigation has been running for more than four years. It began with a shooting incident on Hamborner Altmarkt in May 2022. In the confrontation involving more than 100 people, bikers clashed with members of a Turkish-Lebanese extended family. The authorities expect to be able to seize assets as well.
Source: n-tv