The mayors of twenty Dutch municipalities have agreed measures to curb the power of criminal motorcycle clubs in the catering industry.

Clubs such as the Hells Angels and Satudarah are blackmailing a growing number of cafés and restaurants, according to the police. Details of the plan the mayors agreed on Friday in the city of Utrecht have not been disclosed.

In some municipalities the catering industry is controlled by a small number of people, investigations carried out by the Public Prosecutor's Office suggest. Admittance is being determined by criminal organisations. It’s thought that the motorcycle clubs are also trying to take control of a number of security companies.

The municipalities involved in the joint plan include Rotterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Tilburg, Breda, Arnhem and Vlaardingen. Officials from Amsterdam, The Hague and Apeldoorn also attended the meeting.

The move has been welcomed by the catering branch. A special telephone number for café and restaurant owners to report blackmail was set up a year ago.

(cl/imm)

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