THIS is the European head of one of the world’s most notorious biker gangs partying in Ireland with the organisation’s new members.
Bandidos president Michael ‘Kokken’ Rosenvold celebrated with members of a Limerick-based motorcycle club after they were accepted into the international club earlier this month.
Michael ‘Kokken’ Rosenvold
There was a heavy garda presence at the industrial estate where the bikers celebrated being officially ‘patched’ by the infamous Bandidos.
Clubs which want to join have to go through a probationary period before they are allowed to wear Bandidos ‘colours’.
The Irish club’s ‘Sergeant at Arms’ is locally based gun club operator David O’Dea, according to sources.
O’Dea’s home was raided by gardaí in 2011, when he ran a gun club and a firing range in Co. Limerick. Gardaí found 13,000 rounds of ammunition as well as several pistols, rifles and a shotgun, a court heard. A Sig Sauer automatic pistol similar to the weapon used by the Garda Emergency Response Unit was also found.
Also discovered was equipment that could allow civilian versions of military rifles to be converted to fully-automatic weapons. Other items found during the search included night-vision goggles, a helmet, gunpowder and crossbows.
Gardaí had applied to keep the weaponry, but O’Dea argued they should be sent to a gun dealer to allow them to be sold off. This week Rosenvold paid tribute to the newest Bandidos chapter by making his appearance at the Limerick party, which was closely monitored by the Gardaí.
Rosenvold
Europol were also involved, with officers from other countries on hand during the all-night party to monitor the bikers, according to sources.
Vehicles and individuals entering the property were subjected to close searches by gardaí.
One woman, a German national, was arrested at the scene and later appeared at a district court for possession of a knife.
She appeared at a special sitting of Kilmallock District Court, where she was fined €150 under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.
It is believed as many as 200 bikers attended the party, coming from all over Ireland.
Also in attendance were contingents of bikers from Holland and Germany. As well as stopping and searching vehicles, gardaí also took pictures of those attending as heavily-armed members of the Regional Support Unit kept a watchful eye.
Rosenvold has a colourful past, having taken over the European presidency from John Tinndahn in 2012. The Danish citizen is reported to have made a lot of money from internet porn companies and lives in a luxurious coastal villa.
There are serious concerns that the presence of a Bandidos chapter in Ireland could bring biker violence to these shores.
During the 1990s, several people were killed during the so-called Nordic Wars between the Bandidos and the Hells Angels. More recently Bandidos members were involved in a shoot-out with another biker gang in Texas that left nine people dead.
Biker violence in Holland and Australia has prompted authorities to look at legislation to ban them
The Bandidos were originally founded in 1966 by US biker Don Chambers, after he found other biker clubs too tame.
The Vietnam vet and former marine was later convicted of killing two drug dealers in 1972 after they had sold bogus drugs to gang members.
Since then the Bandidos, like their rivals the Hells Angels, have expanded to become international organisations.
The Bandidos are thought to have at least 2,500 members worldwide and is considered by U.S. law enforcement to be one of the ‘big four’ biker gangs – alongside the Hells Angels, Pagans and Outlaws.
In North America the biker organisation has been linked to drug smuggling, prostitution and motorbike theft.
This week the Bandidos official website welcomed their new Irish club with the words: “Proud Irish brothers showing off the new status as full patch chapter. Well done.”
Michael ‘Kokken’ Rosenvold
There was a heavy garda presence at the industrial estate where the bikers celebrated being officially ‘patched’ by the infamous Bandidos.
Clubs which want to join have to go through a probationary period before they are allowed to wear Bandidos ‘colours’.
The Irish club’s ‘Sergeant at Arms’ is locally based gun club operator David O’Dea, according to sources.
O’Dea’s home was raided by gardaí in 2011, when he ran a gun club and a firing range in Co. Limerick. Gardaí found 13,000 rounds of ammunition as well as several pistols, rifles and a shotgun, a court heard. A Sig Sauer automatic pistol similar to the weapon used by the Garda Emergency Response Unit was also found.
Also discovered was equipment that could allow civilian versions of military rifles to be converted to fully-automatic weapons. Other items found during the search included night-vision goggles, a helmet, gunpowder and crossbows.
Gardaí had applied to keep the weaponry, but O’Dea argued they should be sent to a gun dealer to allow them to be sold off. This week Rosenvold paid tribute to the newest Bandidos chapter by making his appearance at the Limerick party, which was closely monitored by the Gardaí.
Rosenvold
Europol were also involved, with officers from other countries on hand during the all-night party to monitor the bikers, according to sources.
Vehicles and individuals entering the property were subjected to close searches by gardaí.
One woman, a German national, was arrested at the scene and later appeared at a district court for possession of a knife.
She appeared at a special sitting of Kilmallock District Court, where she was fined €150 under the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.
It is believed as many as 200 bikers attended the party, coming from all over Ireland.
Also in attendance were contingents of bikers from Holland and Germany. As well as stopping and searching vehicles, gardaí also took pictures of those attending as heavily-armed members of the Regional Support Unit kept a watchful eye.
Rosenvold has a colourful past, having taken over the European presidency from John Tinndahn in 2012. The Danish citizen is reported to have made a lot of money from internet porn companies and lives in a luxurious coastal villa.
There are serious concerns that the presence of a Bandidos chapter in Ireland could bring biker violence to these shores.
During the 1990s, several people were killed during the so-called Nordic Wars between the Bandidos and the Hells Angels. More recently Bandidos members were involved in a shoot-out with another biker gang in Texas that left nine people dead.
Biker violence in Holland and Australia has prompted authorities to look at legislation to ban them
The Bandidos were originally founded in 1966 by US biker Don Chambers, after he found other biker clubs too tame.
The Vietnam vet and former marine was later convicted of killing two drug dealers in 1972 after they had sold bogus drugs to gang members.
Since then the Bandidos, like their rivals the Hells Angels, have expanded to become international organisations.
The Bandidos are thought to have at least 2,500 members worldwide and is considered by U.S. law enforcement to be one of the ‘big four’ biker gangs – alongside the Hells Angels, Pagans and Outlaws.
In North America the biker organisation has been linked to drug smuggling, prostitution and motorbike theft.
This week the Bandidos official website welcomed their new Irish club with the words: “Proud Irish brothers showing off the new status as full patch chapter. Well done.”
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