HELLS ANGELS BUNKER RAIDED

Clubhouse Seized, May Be Auctioned To Help Crime Victims

NANAIMO - Some three dozen police stormed the Hells Angels clubhouse
in Nanaimo on Friday -- securing the building so the provincial
government can seize it.

The strike group included a heavily armed tactical team.

The building was unoccupied at the time of the 11 a.m. raid.

"A number of club members attended the clubhouse after we came on
scene," said Nanaimo RCMP Const. Jen Allan. "There were no incidents,
but they did attend to determine what occurred."

The seizure, which freezes the property so it can't be used,
mortgaged or sold, was accomplished through the Civil Forfeiture Act.

Under the act, the B.C. Supreme Court can order property forfeited to
the government if it's proven in civil court to be acquired with
crime money or used for crime.

B.C. Hells Angels spokesman Rick Ciarniello said the idea the
clubhouse, located at 805 Victoria Road, could have been bought with
proceeds of crime was "nonsense."

"They've had that place for so long, how could that have been
acquired with anything but legal money?" Ciarniello said.

The clubhouse was purchased for about $50,000 more than 17 years ago
and is now worth $100,000, according to the 2007 property assessment.

After a 2003 raid on the clubhouse by masked police, three Hells
Angels and an associate were charged with cocaine trafficking and
conspiracy to traffic cocaine.

No arrests were made in connection with Friday's raid.

B.C. is pursuing more than 60 cases in its civil forfeiture office.

Since the act came into force in May 2006, more than $2 million in
cash and assets has been "turned over to taxpayers," according to the
provincial government.