Latest arrests in organized crime sweep just a start, say provincial police
Quebec police forces say they have arrested more than 30 people over the course of the past few days in several operations that were aimed at curbing organized crime across the province.
The operations targeted areas of Montreal, Longueuil, Saguenay and Sept-Îles, Que. — all regions that are experiencing a surge of violent crimes linked to gangs, including murder, kidnapping and torture.
Sources tell Radio-Canada that for the past year, Quebec City street gangs and independent drug dealers have been refusing to pay Hells Angels a 10 per cent fee to sell drugs on their territories.
Radio-Canada reports that several suspects linked to the street gangs have rallied behind drug dealer Dave Turmel, who is leading the battle against the bikers.
In a joint news conference Thursday, representatives from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) as well as the Saguenay, Quebec City and Lévis police departments, said that about 40 raids were carried out, resulting in the seizure of firearms, high-capacity magazines, narcotics and evidence related to various crimes.
The operation, which involved more than 100 police officers, was part of the SQ's CENTAURE strategy to combat armed violence.
A man was also picked up in Ontario on Wednesday evening in connection with the abduction of a person in Saguenay, said Michel Patenaude, director of criminal investigations for the SQ.
Patenaude says in recent days, independent Blood Family Mafia (BFM) dealers have been targeted, but criminals associated with the feuding Hells Angels organization could also be targeted.
He says the recent arrests are "very significant."
"A lot of the people that we have arrested were both involved in drug trafficking and in the violent acts," said Patenaude.
"We're letting the population know and we're letting organized crime know as well that we're very present and we're willing to put the resources necessary to put an end to the violence."
Patenaude wouldn't give more information on the current operations to protect the officers in the field and to not compromise the ongoing legal process. He said the teams will forge ahead.
"We've made a good start, but it's not over yet. It's just the beginning. We're adapting and reacting to different levels of threat. [...] We're going to keep up the pressure."
Michel Patenaude, director of cirminal investigations with the SQ, Marie-Manon Savard, in charge of investigations and specialized services for the Service de police de la Ville de Québec, Cpt. Réjean Langlois, assistant director of the Lévis Police Department and Cpt. Jean-François Imbeault, of the Saguenay Police Department held a joint news conference. (Sylvain Roy Roussel/CBC)
Cpt. Marie-Manon Savard, in charge of investigations and specialized services for the Service de police de la Ville de Québec, estimates that 11 arrests have been made by officers in the past week alone — all of them linked to the BFM.
"We're proud to have been able to assist our partner organizations in their operations," said Savard. "It's results we're very proud of."
