Berlin police launched a large-scale operation against firearms crime on Monday evening, searching more than ten sites across the city, including the Hells Angels motorcycle club's clubhouse in Biesdorf.

More than 300 officers took part in the court-ordered searches, among them Berlin's special deployment command and special forces of the Federal Police. According to the Tagesspiegel daily, the elite unit GSG 9 was also involved. The operation began shortly after 7 p.m. and was expected to continue into the night.

Clubhouse searched in Biesdorf

One focus of the operation was the Hells Angels motorcycle club. Police arrived at the group's Berlin clubhouse in Biesdorf, a neighbourhood in the Marzahn-Hellersdorf district, in an armoured vehicle. Several private apartments belonging to people considered part of the club or its circle were also searched.

Other measures were connected to separate proceedings under weapons laws. Apartments in Neukölln, Mitte, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Pankow, Lichtenberg and Treptow-Köpenick were targeted, and there was one search location in the neighbouring state of Brandenburg.

Police have not yet confirmed any arrests or weapons seizures from the operation, saying investigators are now processing and evaluating the material recovered to determine the next steps.

Unit Ferrum leads the firearms fight

The operation was led by a special investigative unit called Ferrum, which was set up to counter organised crime and illegal gun ownership. The unit has about 110 members, with additional officers called in for searches and similar operations.

As of 23 October, Ferrum had opened more than 720 investigations, 483 of which were directly or indirectly connected to firearms crime, according to the Tagesspiegel. In the police's view, the work has helped to shed light on criminal structures, identify and jail suspects, and increase pressure on those involved.

Gun violence still high in the capital

Shootings on Berlin's streets have become more frequent since 2025. Many are believed to be connected to rivalries between clans and gangs, while others are linked to protection rackets.

Still, the scale of gun violence in Berlin remains high. In the first half of 2026, police registered 585 offences involving firearms. Of those, 324 were threats and 261 were cases of shots being fired.

Monday's raids show the scale of the response now being mounted, with hundreds of officers, special forces and court-ordered searches across the city in a single evening. Whether the material seized leads to charges will become clear as investigators work through what was recovered.