German Police Deploy Elite Units in Large-Scale Berlin Gang Raids

German police carried out large-scale raids on Monday evening targeting organized crime and firearm violence across Berlin and neighboring Brandenburg. Around 300 law enforcement personnel, including tactical units from the Berlin State Criminal Police Office and the Federal Police elite force GSG 9, searched nine residential apartments and a clubhouse belonging to the Hells Angels motorcycle gang in the Berlin district of Biesdorf.

The operation comes amid a marked rise in gun-related offenses in the German capital. Police records show that 585 criminal offenses involving the use of firearms were registered in Berlin during the first six months of 2026. The acts included shootings from moving vehicles aimed at commercial establishments, cafes, and restaurants.

The raids were coordinated by Ferrum, a specialized police unit formed on November 13, 2025, to combat armed gang activity and protection racketeering. Comprising approximately 110 officers, the unit had opened more than 720 investigation proceedings as of October 23, 2026. Of those cases, 483 are directly or indirectly linked to firearm crime.

Investigators are primarily focusing on extortion rings that target business owners and restaurateurs of Turkish origin in Berlin. Authorities noted repeated incidents of violence intended to intimidate owners who refuse protection money demands. In one recent case in mid-October, unidentified assailants opened fire from a vehicle at a cafe in the Neukölln district.

Police spokesman Florian Nath stated that the operation specifically targeted firearm-related offenses, noting overlaps between rocker groups and other criminal networks. Law enforcement officers are currently evaluating evidence seized during the searches, while the special unit Ferrum is set to remain active indefinitely to address ongoing violent crime in the region.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com