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10-03-2006, 04:15 PM
Hells Angels grows in Norway
A new charter of the often-feared motorcycle club Hells Angels is being established in the northern Norwegian city of Tromsø. It's the latest sign of expansion within Norway, and it's not welcome by local police.
http://cache.aftenposten.no/multimedia/archive/00459/_1381559_jpg_459151h.jpgHells Angels caused a stir when they rode through Drammen in connection with a funeral in 2005.
PHOTO: STEIN J. BJØRGE
The new Tromsø charter is still listed as a "prospect" on the Hells Angels MC Norway web site, but newspaper Aftenposten reported Tuesday that it's been "advanced" as a club with a full Hells Angels charter of its own.
There currently are five other clubs with Hells Angels charters in Norway, in Oslo, Hamar, Skien, Stavanger and Trondheim. The Norsemen Motorcycle Club in Drammen is still listed as a "hangaround" club, but it's reportedly moving towards its own charter as well.
Around 200 Hells Angels members from all over Europe were in Oslo over the weekend to celebrate the Oslo charter's 10-year anniversary and the fledgling charter for the "Loaded" club in Tromsø.
Police in Tromsø aren't celebrating. "This is surprising," said Tromsø police chief Truls Fyhn. "I won't rule out that someone will now try to take over the narcotics market in northern Norway."
With six charters in Norway, Hells Angels now has one more than rival motorcycle club Bandidos, which has clubs in Oslo, Fredrikstad, Drammen, Kristiansand and Stavanger.
The bombing of Bandidos Drammen headquarters in 1997 and subsequent drug raids left several Hells Angels members in jail, with relatively long sentences. The conflict level between the club fell, but police worry the new Hells Angels expansion may send it rising again.
Aftenposten English Web Desk
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1480859.ece
A new charter of the often-feared motorcycle club Hells Angels is being established in the northern Norwegian city of Tromsø. It's the latest sign of expansion within Norway, and it's not welcome by local police.
http://cache.aftenposten.no/multimedia/archive/00459/_1381559_jpg_459151h.jpgHells Angels caused a stir when they rode through Drammen in connection with a funeral in 2005.
PHOTO: STEIN J. BJØRGE
The new Tromsø charter is still listed as a "prospect" on the Hells Angels MC Norway web site, but newspaper Aftenposten reported Tuesday that it's been "advanced" as a club with a full Hells Angels charter of its own.
There currently are five other clubs with Hells Angels charters in Norway, in Oslo, Hamar, Skien, Stavanger and Trondheim. The Norsemen Motorcycle Club in Drammen is still listed as a "hangaround" club, but it's reportedly moving towards its own charter as well.
Around 200 Hells Angels members from all over Europe were in Oslo over the weekend to celebrate the Oslo charter's 10-year anniversary and the fledgling charter for the "Loaded" club in Tromsø.
Police in Tromsø aren't celebrating. "This is surprising," said Tromsø police chief Truls Fyhn. "I won't rule out that someone will now try to take over the narcotics market in northern Norway."
With six charters in Norway, Hells Angels now has one more than rival motorcycle club Bandidos, which has clubs in Oslo, Fredrikstad, Drammen, Kristiansand and Stavanger.
The bombing of Bandidos Drammen headquarters in 1997 and subsequent drug raids left several Hells Angels members in jail, with relatively long sentences. The conflict level between the club fell, but police worry the new Hells Angels expansion may send it rising again.
Aftenposten English Web Desk
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1480859.ece