Hell’s Angels leader from Romania, caught in the Capital. What accusations are brought against him

Police officers of the General Directorate of the Bucharest City Police – Criminal Investigation Service caught today, December 28, the leader of the Hell’s Angels from Romania, who was wanted internationally. He is being investigated for organized crime.

According to a statement from the Police, during today’s day the law enforcement officers from the Capital found a man, 49 years old, who was wanted internationally. He is currently in a detention center in Bucharest.

“During this day, December 28, 2022, the police officers of the General Directorate of Police of the Municipality of Bucharest – Criminal Investigation Service, following investigative activities, detected a man, 49 years old, wanted internationally. On his behalf, the Bucharest Court of Appeal issued on December 15, 2022 a preventive arrest warrant, with a view to his extradition to the authorities in the United States of America, being investigated for crimes of organized crime, international high-risk drug trafficking and money laundering of money. The person in question was incarcerated in a detention and preventive arrest center of the General Directorate of Police of the Municipality of Bucharest”, it is shown in the press release.

Marius Lazăr, the leader of the Romanian bikers of the Hell’s Angels branch, planned to purchase high-risk drugs that he would later sell in the United States of America and in Romania. He also wanted to sell armored cars, AK-47 weapons, M26 grenades, pistols and bulletproof vests produced in Serbia.

The information about the group led by Marius Lazăr was provided to the Romanian authorities by the US Department of Justice. Based on the information provided by the Americans, between July and November 2020, the police officers of the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, the Anti-Drug Service, started the first investigations.

He negotiated two assassinations and the trading of 400 kg of cocaine

At the beginning of June, the Bucharest Court of Appeal accepted the request of the American authorities to extradite Marius Lazăr to the USA.

According to the reasoning behind the extradition decision, the Hells Angeles organization is involved in mafia-type activities worldwide.

“In furtherance of the conspiracy, as part of and in furtherance of its purpose, the defendants and others committed various specific acts in the Eastern District of the State of Texas and elsewhere,” the filing states according to newsonline, then describes the moments of the negotiations.

On or about July 21, 2020, New Zealanders Michael Matthews Murray and Patrick Johnson Marc met for dinner in Bucharest, Romania and discussed buying cocaine, including (1) using the city of Beaumont, Texas as a base for receiving payments, the production of industrial equipment in which to hide drugs, and the export of drugs from the United States; (2) possible methods of transferring funds to avoid detection by law enforcement; and (3) their agreement to increase the purchase of 200 kilograms by an additional 200 kilograms on consignment, for a total of 400 kilograms of cocaine.

On or about July 22, 2020, Matthews and Lazăr, leader of the Hells Angels branch in Romania, requested an individual (whom the two knew was using the city of Beaumont, Texas, as a base of operations) to arrange the assassination of three men in Romania , two of whom were rival drug dealers and members of a rival motorcycle club.

around July 29, 2020, Matthews agreed to send money to the person in Beaumont, Texas, as payment for an assassination, describing the killing as “necessary”.

Around August 3, 2020, Matthews discussed the importance and possible methods of laundering the proceeds from the sale of the 400 kilogram shipment of cocaine.

around August 5, 2020, Matthews told the Texas person that the murder in Romania would not affect the leadership of the Hells Angels club in the United States, explaining that the victim “spoke and is a bad fellow, so he has to go.”

on or about August 24, 2020, a member of the conspiracy made three transactions that resulted in a total of $629,182 being deposited into a bank account in a bank located in the State of Texas, which was to be withdrawn in Beaumont, Texas. Of that amount, Matthews allocated $10,000 as payment for the planned assassination of Victim 1 and the remainder as part payment for the planned shipment of 400 kilograms of cocaine.

Around August 27 and 28, 2020, Lazar negotiated the purchase of weapons, including grenades and an AK-47 assault rifle, to be delivered to the United States.

Around 29 August 2020, Matthews requested the purchase of handguns to respond to the “major shortage of handguns” in New Zealand.

On or about August 29, 2020, details of the 400 kilogram cocaine transaction were discussed, including using the city of Beaumont, Texas as a base for receiving payments, producing the industrial equipment to hide the drugs in, and exporting the drugs from United States.

On September 1, 2020, Lazar discussed the fact that he is able to purchase weapons and tactical equipment from other countries in Europe, including the recent purchase of 50 pieces of bulletproof vests for members of the Hells Angels branch.

On September 9, 2020, a member of the conspiracy made a deposit in the total amount of $20,000 into a bank account in a bank located in the State of Texas, which was to be withdrawn in Beaumont, Texas as part payment for the planned shipment of 400 kilograms of cocaine.

Around September 10, 2020, Lazăr submitted identification details for five motorcycles offered as a guarantee for the planned purchase of 10 kilograms of cocaine, according to the decision, according to News.ro.