Police from Helsinki and Eastern Uusimaa raided the headquarters of the Cannonball Motorcycle Club in the Finnish capital on Tuesday. Simultaneously they carried out searches at four private homes. Five people were taken into custody and arrested.
Authorities found drugs and two unlicensed firearms among other items of interest. The amount of drugs found exceeded by tenfold the criteria for aggravated drug offenses. Police estimate that the illicit substances had a street value of more than 28,000 euros.
Besides gun and drug offences, police suspect that two of those detained were involved last autumn in the shady takeover of a construction company that was winding down its business. Officials believe the gang members used a front organisation to take over the firm and hide its assets from its creditors.
Legal know-how
According to Detective Inspector Juha Tuovinen says that those involved in the scheme seemed to have some legal know-how, as they filed for reorganisation in order to delay bankruptcy – and allow more time to siphon out the company’s funds. The preliminary investigation suggests that the same straw men were used to commandeer more than 40 companies.
Cannonball MC was set up in Finland in 1991, operating as a Hells Angels affiliate for the first five years. It claims 11 chapters around Finland.