Demolition of Hells Angels biker bunker begins in Trois-Rivieres

The former Hells Angels bunker in Trois Rivieres is seen being demolished, Tuesday, June 30, 2015.

The Quebec government began the demolition of a former Hells Angels "clubhouse" in Trois-Rivières on Tuesday.

The biker gang built the red-roofed stronghold in 1989, where it was clearly visible from the road as drivers headed into Trois-Rivières on Autoroute 55.

The building halfway between Montreal and Quebec City was seized by Quebec in 2009 during a sweep of raids across the province. The biker gang was behind on almost $73,000 in property taxes for the clubhouse.

The shelter was valued at about $375,000, but the Crown prosecutor's office said that keeping the building was never part of the plan.

"It's a symbol of organized crime in Quebec," spokesperson for the Crown Jean-Pascal Boucher told CTV Montreal. "It was clear for us that in our mind we had to demolish this bunker."

Teardown of the building will take about two weeks and cost about $35,000, but tax payers won’t be footing the bill, Boucher said.

Instead, it will be torn down with what Boucher called the "proceeds of crime": money from selling goods seized from organized crime.

Trois-Rivières Mayor Yves Lévesque was thrilled that demolition had begun on the 26-year-old bunker, calling it an eyesore that tainted the city's image.

The Crown is in negotiations with Trois-Rivières on what will be done with the land once the bunker’s demolition is complete.

Five other bunkers were seized during 2009’s Operation SharQc, along with the arrest of 156 Hells Angels members throughout Quebec. The police operation aimed to put Hells Angels out of business. Three members died after being charged.

With files from CTV Montreal.