HA Frank Hanebuth faces Spanish justice - acquitted

Frank Hanebuth, the German leader of a Hells Angels chapter that had established itself in Playa de Palma has been acquitted by the Audiencia Nacional High Court in Madrid. On July 23, 2013, Hanebuth and 24 others were arrested in an operation dubbed Casablanca. Hanebuth's Hells Angels chapter was in the business of drug trafficking, money laundering, extortion and prostitution. He spent two years in prison and was released on conditions in 2015. Able to travel to Germany, he was welcomed back as if he were a head of state.

35 of the 49 defendants took plea deals. The highest sentence request among those who did not take the deal is for the Youssafi brothers. Prosecutors asked for extended time for Abdelghani Youssafi and his brother Khalil Youssafi. Frank Hanebuth was the only defendant who used his right to a final statement before the trial was adjourned Friday. The gang's operations were at Playa de Palma, where brothels were used to finance its network. See ----->HA Frank Hanebuth facing 13 years in Spain

After a week break, the trial against Frank Hanebuth and others resumed on Monday (February 6th) in Mallorca. Of the initial 49 accused, only 15 are now left after the remaining 34 made deals with the public prosecutor before the trial began on the first day of the trial. Many converted their sometimes long-term imprisonment into fines. Lawyers accuse the prosecutor's office of having almost no evidence against the accused. It is based on assumptions and arbitrary interpretations of the many phone calls between those involved. Whether this wiretapping was permissible at all was a frequent issue on the first days of the trial. The public prosecutor's office justified them by saying that the Hells Angels on Mallorca represented a criminal organization.

Frank Hanebuth along with 46 others will be in court until Feb 10, including Germans, but also Spaniards, Turks and Luxembourgers. In November 2009 the Youssafis brothers opened a branch of the Hells Angels in Majorca, led by German Frank Hanebuth. Their lair was a luxury property in Lloret de Vistalegre, valued at 2.5m euros. Hanebuth is looking at 13 years.