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Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer bans motorcycle gang "Bandidos MC Federation West Central"
press release 12 July 2021
Federal Minister Horst Seehofer: Gangs blatantly violating our laws do not drop off the radar of our security authorities.
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer bans motorcycle gang "Bandidos MC Federation West Central". This means that the entire association and its 38 sub-organisations, known as chapters, are prohibited and will be dissolved. Their assets will be seized and confiscated. According to BKA estimates, the ban affects approximately 650 bikers in Germany.
Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer said: "Gangs blatantly violating our laws do not drop off the radar of our security agencies just because they say they disbanded. This is the largest motorcycle gang being banned so far. The move shows that, under the rule of law, the state does not allow itself to be led by the nose by criminals."
The order banning the organisation and its sub-organisations in Germany, which was issued by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community, establishes that their aims and activities violate criminal law. The organisation poses a serious threat to individual legal interests and the general public. It has a reputation for aggressively defending its territory and interests against competing motorcyle gangs and other organisations. Its members repeatedly committed instances of aggravated assault and (attempted) homicide.
Shortly after the ban of the BMC Hohenlimburg/Witten chapter, the association declared that it had disbanded in mid-April 2021. The Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community then initiated proceedings pursuant to section 4 of the Associations Act to investigate the current structure of the association. On 1 and 2 July 2021, it carried out successful investigation measures together with the federal states of Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Thuringia, which have shown that the association continues to exist despite its declaration that it disbanded.
