Five foreign motorcyclists linked to the Hells Angels were convicted on weapons charges on Friday after being arrested at the Promachonas border post in northern Greece while traveling to an international gathering of members of the bikers’ community in the northwestern port city of Igoumenitsa.

A court imposed a combined 18-month prison sentence — suspended — on three Polish nationals and suspended 12-month sentences on a fourth Polish citizen as well as against the Russian, according to public broadcaster ERT. All five were found guilty of illegal possession of weapons after customs officers discovered knives, batons and brass knuckles during inspections at the Greek-Bulgarian frontier crossing.

The jail terms were converted into monetary penalties of 10 euros per day. Three of the defendants were also fined 1,200 euros each, while the remaining two received fines of 800 euros. All five appealed the ruling and were released pending a second-instance hearing.

The men were traveling toward Igoumenitsa, where members of Hells Angels chapters from around the world are expected to gather this weekend. The planned event has drawn heightened scrutiny from Greek authorities following a series of arrests and border checks involving bikers entering the country in recent days.

During their testimony, the defendants said they were probationary members of the Hells Angels and argued that possession of the seized items is legal in their home countries. They told the court that knives were used for preparing food during their journey and for maintaining their motorcycles, while describing the baton as a souvenir item.

One of the Polish riders told ERT after the hearing that the group had crossed five countries before entering Greece and had not encountered similar inspections elsewhere. He added that they intended to continue their journey to Igoumenitsa.

Greek authorities have intensified checks at border crossings and transport routes ahead of the gathering in the northwest Epirus province. Over the past week, police have intercepted several foreign nationals linked to motorcycle clubs and seized weapons and other prohibited items, amid a broader security operation aimed at preventing violence and maintaining public order during the event.

Reports in recent days have indicated that authorities are monitoring arrivals from across Europe, with particular attention focused on organized motorcycle groups traveling through northern Greece en route to the gathering.