Frank Hanebuth: Trial against rocker boss in Spain begins in early 2023

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Frank Hanebuth (2020 in the District Court of Hanover)

Photo: Julian Stratenschulte/ dpa

Rocker boss Frank Hanebuth has to be in the dock in Spain for drug trafficking and pimping, among other things.

The trial against the 57-year-old from Hanover and against 46 other alleged ex-members and helpers of the Hells Angels rocker gang will begin on January 9, 2023, according to the National State Court in Madrid.

The public prosecutor's office is demanding a 13-year prison sentence for Hanebuth.

The 47 defendants are also accused of founding a criminal organization, money laundering, kidnapping, extortion and human trafficking.

Spectacular raid

In a spectacular raid in Mallorca in 2013, Hanebuth was arrested along with 23 other alleged motorcycle rockers on a finca in Lloret de Vistalegre in the interior of the Spanish island.

Among those arrested were mostly Germans, but also Turks, Luxembourgers and Spaniards.

According to investigators, the group around Hanebuth was said to have been active as a criminal organization in Mallorca between 2009 and 2013.

She is said to have committed numerous serious crimes on Playa de Palma – the notorious »Ballermann«.

The public prosecutor's office is even demanding 38.5 and 33.5 years in prison for two alleged leaders of the gang.

Among the accused are two Mallorcan police officers and a member of the National Police Guardia Civil (Civil Guard), who face prison sentences of between five and a half and seven and a half years.

They are said to have supplied the rocker club with information for a fee.

There should be a total of 15 days of negotiations until February 10, 2023.

Almost all of the suspects had "lived a life of luxury" on Mallorca, according to the police.

Hanebuth, for example, lived on a property whose value was estimated by the authorities at 2.5 million euros.

After two years behind bars, Hanebuth – the longtime boss of the now defunct Hells Angels in Hanover – was released in the summer of 2015 on bail of 60,000 euros and subject to conditions in the high-security prison in Cádiz.

He was only allowed to leave Spain in 2017 and returned to Hanover.

wit/dpa