Cole Sinanian
IN a joint operation between Spanish, German, and Romanian authorities last week, police arrested the alleged leader of an elusive criminal biker gang known as the MC Comanches — one of a handful of violent international biker gangs operating in Spain — at his Benalmadena home.
The man was wanted in Romania for attempted murder, where he was the leader of another infamous organisation, the Hell’s Angels.
He was accused of running a drug trafficking network between Spain and Central and Northern Europe, coordinating drug transport via a fleet of vans.
But despite law enforcement crackdowns, various criminal biker gangs like the MC Comanches and Hell’s Angels remain at large throughout Spain and Europe.
While their existence is legal, many of these groups earn money through illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and prostitution.
READ MORE: Alleged Ex-Hell’s Angel boss is arrested at his home in Benalmadena
They often keep business operations that appear legitimate, but are actually fronts for money laundering.
Common operations include vehicle body shops, tattoo parlours, and the organisation of concerts, sporting events, and motorcycle rallies.
Biker gangs have also been known to extort, sometimes threatening rival business owners in their communities until they pay up.
The arrested leader of the MC Comanches, whom authorities have yet to name, was allegedly associated with a recently registered vehicle rental company, where authorities discovered a number of weapons, including firearms, an axe, and ammunition.
READ MORE: Police to clamp down on Spain’s criminal biker gangs
While not nearly as powerful as the drug cartels in Latin America, these groups are integral to the transport of drugs throughout Europe, often taking charge of the logistical aspects of trafficking, transporting via fleets of cars and trucks, reports EFE.
There are many biker gangs operating throughout Europe, some of which have international roots, and although inter-gang conflict can lead to violent confrontations, many share similar names, emblems, and sometimes leaders.
Aside from the MC Comanches, a distinct but similarly named group called the MC Comancheros operated in Spain until early 2023, when the Guardia Civil arrested five of its members in Guadalajara for weapons possession and running a drug route between Spain, France and Germany.
The Comancheros, which have roots in Australia, engaged in violent shootouts with rival gangs throughout the 1970s and 1980s, culminating in the 1984 Milperra Massacre in Sydney, during which a 14-year-old girl was killed by a shotgun blast to the face.
Other criminal biker gangs known to operate in Spain include Los Satudarah, a Dutch gang which, curiously, has been reported to now share a logo with the MC Comanches after a recent rebranding.
The group has branches in Australia, as well as a strong presence in Denmark and in Marbella.
In June 2023, three Danish Satudarah members were detained near the Marbella Marina by a specialised Policia Nacional force, which was deployed due to the gang’s reputation for being “extremely violent.”
El Español reported that the building the gang members had been operating from was advertised as a coworking space for digital nomads.
READ MORE
- Notorious Bandidos biker gang members are arrested for ‘trafficking large amounts of drugs from Spain’s Costa del Sol to Denmark’
- WATCH: Wanted ‘ex-Hell’s Angels boss’ is found ‘operating his narco empire’ among the expat community in Spain: Police seize gun, axe, fake IDs and more at Costa del Sol home
