The four motorcycle gangs most active in Norway – Hells Angels, Bandidos, Outlaws and Coffin Cheaters – are growing and represent a “serious social problem” in the country through organized crime, claims a new police report.
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported this week that the internationally infamous so-called “clubs” have seen their membership double in the last few years, and are now believed to claim around 256 members and associates nationwide. Gang members are alleged to have been involved in violence, the handling of stolen goods, drug trafficking and other serious economic and violent crimes.
Beyond motorcycle enthusiasts, the gangs are believed to be recruiting more and more young criminals into so-called “support groups” that are concerned only with the illegal affairs of the clubs. The clubs are believed to impose strict loyalty on their members, who reportedly follow set honour codes within a clearly delineated hierarchy.
The Hells Angels, estimated to be the biggest and most stable of all the gangs, established themselves in Norway in 1982, and now have chapters in Trondheim, Oslo, Stavanger, Hamar, Skien, Tromsø and Drammen, in addition to a prospective club in Bergen looking to achieve recognized status.
“When we look at the growth in the groups, this represents little by little a serious social problem,” police inspector Atle Roll-Mathiesen told NRK. The police are asking for further powers and resources to tackle expansion of the motorcycle gangs.
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