British Columbia’s top court has rejected an appeal by the Hells Angels to block the prospective sale of three of its clubhouses in the province.
The province took ownership of the properties, located in Vancouver, Kelowna and Nanaimo, after they were seized in April under orders of B.C.’s director of civil forfeiture following a lengthy court process.
Angel Acres Recreation and Festival Property Ltd. tried to get a restraining order to stop the province from selling the properties as it sought leave to appeal the case to the Supreme Court of Canada. The nation’s top court has yet to decide if it will hear the case.
But earlier this month the B.C. Court of Appeal rejected the organization’s application, additionally rejecting its appeal to have the forfeiture office to publish all inquiries and offers should the process begin.
B.C.’s Civil Forfeiture Act allows authorities to seize personal or real property determined to be the proceeds of crime or used in the commission of a criminal offence under the civil rather than criminal court system.
The province’s director of civil forfeiture started proceedings to take the Nanaimo clubhouse in 2007, adding the Vancouver and Kelowna properties to the file in 2012.
The Hells Angels fought the proceeding, taking the case all the way to the appellate court, which ultimately sided with the province in February.
In its ruling, the court found the clubhouses “were likely to be used in a way that enhanced or facilitated the engagement by members of the relevant chapters in unlawful activity.”