CTV News has learned the province is studying the possibility of seizing the Hells Angels clubhouse by going through the civil courts.
Last December, police raided the home on Scotia Street as part of the Project Divide operation aimed at organized crime.
That marked the third time the clubhouse has been raided. In the past, police have never filed what's termed a "restraint order" to have the clubhouse seized as part of criminal investigation.
But now, officials are examining seizing it through legal means, CTV News has learned.
The province, however, would only talk about general locations and not any specific property.
"We want to get the message out there that if you carry on organized crime in Manitoba, we're going to come after you and hit you in the pocketbook," said Andrew Swan, the province's minister of justice.
Last June, the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act was enacted which allows government to seize property obtained through unlawful acts.
Evidence released in search warrants from Project Divide suggests that on more than one occasion, money exchanged hands inside the clubhouse and that members of the Hells Angels knew it was the result of drug sales. None of those allegations have yet been proven in court.
There's no timeline on how long a process of seizing the clubhouse would take, or whether the Hells Angels would offer a defence in court.
In other provinces, some gangs have walked away from clubhouses after they were seized.
- with a report from CTV's Kelly Dehn
