Long-term structures with a clear plan for the future.
The Bandidos continue to be responsible for many violent crimes – but work in a different way than the local networks.
– They have a strategy about how they want to shape themselves in the next few years, says Ola Fredriksson, at Acta Publica.
Sweden is plagued by a record number of gang-related murders, but in the shadow of the conflicts, other groups are working as usual.
The MC gang Bandidos is still responsible for a large number of violent acts and is seen to be on the rise, shows a report by the research company Acta Publica published last week.
– The consequence may be that the police do not have as good a grasp of the motorcycle gangs as they did ten years ago, warns Ola Fredriksson, who wrote the report.
Nine arrested in drug bust
In recent years, several Bandido members have been convicted of, among other things, murder and drug offences.
In connection with coordinated efforts in Västra Götaland and Örebro, nine people were arrested last week in connection with a major drug crackdown – and according to the police, the detainees belong to the motorcycle gang Bandidos.
– It shows the pattern that we have written about in the report, says Ola Fredriksson.
Roughly 300 people are estimated to belong to the Bandidos and as many are believed to be part of the Hells Angels, according to Acta Publica’s review. The MC gangs differ, compared to, for example, Foxtrot or the Death Patrol, which have dominated media coverage in recent years.
– They have a strategy about how they want to shape themselves in the next few years, with a structure and a set of rules that they largely follow, Fredriksson explains.
This is how the admission process works
The Bandidos have a specific procedure for how they bring new members into the club
– You often start as a hangout or prospect. After eight to nine months, there is then a vote on whether this person should move on. After another step, they become full members, says Fredriksson.
The MC gangs also differ from the local networks when it comes to social aspects.
– They have one foot in crime, the other in a large social network. It must be remembered that many in these groups also have a great interest in riding motorcycles.