Arsenal of rocket launchers, ecstasy lab in motorcycle gang busts

A staggering amount of weapons and other illegal items were found during police raids on locations linked to Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs on Wednesday. The police raided a total of 35 homes and 40 garages in Limburg, Brabant, Belgium and Germany. A total of 20 people were arrested. The police found 5 rocket launchers, several semi-automatic weapons, a lab for synthetic drugs, amphetamine and chemicals, a cannabis plantation, counterfeit money, hand guns, stolen luxury cars, many kilos of ammunition and heavy firework bombs, NOS reports. In a Public Prosecutor press conference in Maastricht on Wednesday night, chief prosecutor Roger Bos confirmed that 20 people were arrested - 19 men and one woman. 14 of the suspects are members of the Bandidos motorcycle gang, including Harrie Ramakers, the president of the Limburg chapter. One suspect is a member of the Red Devils motorcycle club. Four people do not belong to a motorcycle club. It is not clear if the last suspect is affiliated with any biker gangs. The suspects are currently held in confinement, meaning that they are not allowed any contact with the outside world. "Thirteen of them have a more or less extensive criminal record", Bos said according to NOS. He also stated that camera images show that 12 of the arrested people were present at the Dug Out bar in Sittard during a shooting incident on May 7th. Maastricht Mayor Onno Hoes called the list of everything the police found during the raids "absolutely shocking". Hoes coordinates the approach to motorcycle gangs in Limburg. According to him, the action was kept as secret as possible until the last possible moment. "My sense is also that we aren't done yet Whether this is the tip of the iceberg remains to be seen", Hoes said. These raids form part of a long ongoing investigation into the illicit activities of members of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. According to the Public Prosecutor in Limburg, the raids were aimed at finding evidence for various ongoing criminal investigations against the motorcycle clubs.