The United Brotherhood crime gang says it will cease its operations, and those of an affiliated gang called Bad Union.
The organisation made the announcement in a press release to MTV Uutiset and Helsingin Sanomat, and the decision comes ahead of a court case on Wednesday where the Police Board will be asking for a legal ruling to ban the two gangs.
“It has been alleged in the media that the United Brotherhood and Bad Union were set up for the purpose of committing crimes and are thus a threat to public security in a democratic society. This is not the case, and such views are unfounded” the United Brotherhood writes in their press release.
The motorbike gang says the decision to disband was made unanimously by all its chapters, and it’s expected to vacate its club house premises in cities like Helsinki, Lahti, Turku, Tampere and Jyväskylä.
Police operations target life of crime
During the autumn a series of law enforcement operations targeted the United Brotherhood’s activities.
In September, police raided homes in nine cites and searched cells in three prisons, arresting 18 people including several leaders of the gang.
They seized drugs, guns, ammunition and money, and said at the time that United Brotherhood and Bad Union members had been suspected in more than 1300 criminal reports this decade - including a large number linked to drugs, violence and firearms offenses.
Also in September Lännen Media reported that police believe United Brotherhood gang members were behind a spate of attacks of prison guards both on duty, and off duty.
A year before, in October 2018, police arrested a dozen suspected United Brotherhood motorbike gang members, and uncovered drugs and weapons in on ongoing operation against the criminal organisation.
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