The former Hell91裸聊视频檚 Angels Clubhouse at 837 Ellis Street has been sold to the City of Kelowna.
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Garry Begg, announced the sale in a Dec. 19 media release.
"In February 2023, three Hell's Angels clubhouses in Kelowna, Vancouver, and Nanaimo were forfeited to the province91裸聊视频攁 major victory," he said. "Today, the government has finalized the sale of the former Hell's Angels Kelowna clubhouse to the City of Kelowna, marking the next step in addressing organized crime in British Columbia."
The sale follows more than a decade of legal proceedings. In 2020, the B.C. Supreme Court ruled that there was no evidence of any use of the Kelowna and Nanaimo clubhouses for criminal activity or planning of future unlawful activity.
The Director of Civil Forfeiture appealed the decision, alleging that there were errors in the interpretation of an 91裸聊视频渋nstrument of unlawful activity91裸聊视频 and the fact-finding process. The director stated that the clubhouses acted as 91裸聊视频渟afe-houses91裸聊视频 providing a secure space for members to commit or conspire to commit crime.
B.C.91裸聊视频檚 Court of Appeal agreed and overturned the lower-court ruling and ordered the three properties to be seized under the province91裸聊视频檚 Civil Forfeiture Act. A bid by the Hell91裸聊视频檚 Angels to prevent the forfeiture was unsuccessful.
"The sale of this property not only puts organized crime on notice but offers communities a chance to turn a problematic property into an asset," Begg stated in the release.
A statement from the city said that it "strategically acquires lands as they become available to meet the evolving needs and priorities of the community. The City of Kelowna has purchased the property at 837 Ellis Street using funds from the Land Sales Reserve. We're working to determine the best use for this land in the future."
The sale price was not released. According to BC Assessment, the property and home are valued at $1.25 million dollars as of July 1, 2023.