https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2...lan-rizzuto-se-retrouve-dans-leau-chaude

Organized crime: this ex-strongman of the Rizzuto clan finds himself in hot water

The boiling Laval mafioso Francesco Del Balso, suspected of having plotted the assassination attempt of which Leonardo Rizzuto was the victim in mid-March, has known for a week that a bounty has been placed on his head for having dared to attack the son of the late mob boss.

Hunted from all sides, the former strongman of the Rizzuto clan has been hiding as a fugitive since the police prevented him from fleeing Canada urgently by arresting him at Trudeau airport on March 23, according to information from our Bureau of Investigation.
Del Balso, a specialist in extortion and illegal sports betting, had been advised by relatives of the underworld that his life was in danger and that he had better get out of the way as soon as possible.

However, the mafioso known for his impulsive and angry temperament was already under police surveillance, since the authorities considered him a suspect in the attempted murder perpetrated on lawyer Rizzuto, when he was trying to take a flight in the direction of the city. 'Europe.
The police therefore arrested him and confiscated his passport to prevent Del Balso from managing to escape.
Reprisals
According to our sources, the presumed motive behind this settling of scores is a response to the attempted murder of which Del Balso himself was the victim, on November 7, also in Laval.

At least six shots were fired in the direction of the Lexus SUV where he was sitting but he escaped unscathed.
However, law enforcement would have no evidence or clues leading them to believe that Leonardo Rizzuto could have authorized or ordered the armed attack on Del Balso.

The police continue to keep an eye on the latter despite his movements.
Searches
Del Balso was not at his home in Laval when the police carried out one of the eight searches carried out there simultaneously on Wednesday by the Sûreté du Québec, which is seeking to elucidate the crime committed at the expense of Leonardo Rizzuto and by the Squad National Organization for Repression against Organized Crime (ENRCO), which is carrying out an anti-drug investigation targeting three influential members of the Hells Angels.
As one might expect, the March 15 shooting that the late godfather's son Vito Rizzuto survived despite being hit by multiple gunshots caused quite a stir in the highest circles of the organized crime, both on the side of the Italian mafia and the Hells Angels bikers.
Several meetings have been organized, within the two groups but also between Hells Angels and members of the Rizzuto clan, since Del Balso is now considered by the police to be closer to bikers than to the mafia, our Office has learned. of investigation.
Our sources, as well as police documents, say that Del Balso would even be closely linked to the most influential Quebec member of the Hells, Martin Robert, and to the one who would be unofficial number 2 of the gang, Stéphane Plouffe.
The Hells Robert and Plouffe are also among the business “associates” of the Rizzuto clan, according to a report by the Criminal Intelligence Service of Quebec produced in 2021.
Coincidence or not, Robert and Plouffe were also targeted by the series of searches carried out on Wednesday in the ENRCO anti-drug investigation.
According to our information, this ENRCO investigation targeting the Hells and the search targeting Del Balso in relation to the shooting against Leonardo Rizzuto are however two separate files. This suggests that the bikers would therefore not be involved in the Rizzuto affair.

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/...-qu-il-s-appretait-a-quitter-le-pays.php

Attack against Leonardo Rizzuto Francesco Del Balso arrested as he was about to leave the country

Mafioso Francesco Del Balso, whose residence was raided on Wednesday morning as part of a major drug trafficking investigation, was arrested at Montreal-Trudeau airport in the middle of the evening last Thursday, in connection with the attempted murder of which Leonardo Rizzuto was a victim in mid-March, La Presse learned from various sources.

At the time of his arrest, Del Balso would have intended to go to Italy, a country for which he would have obtained a plane ticket, one way only, according to our information.

Del Balso, 52, was released without charge pending further investigation by the Sûreté du Québec.
According to our information, his passport and his telephone were however seized by the investigators.
Leg and shoulder injuries

On Wednesday, March 15, Leonardo Rizzuto, youngest son of former Montreal mob boss Vito Rizzuto, was the target of several shots fired from a moving vehicle while he was in his car, in a sector located at the corner of highways 440 and 13, in Laval.

Leonardo Rizzuto, member of the Bar and considered by the police to be one of the leaders of the Sicilian clan of the Montreal mafia, was reportedly hit by two projectiles, and was injured in the legs and shoulder.

Driving, alone on board, he still managed to get to the parking lot of a funeral home, where he was rescued by Urgences-Santé paramedics and taken to hospital.
Aimed at least three times

Formerly associated with the Sicilian clan of the Montreal mafia, Francesco Del Balso was sentenced to 15 years in prison for gangsterism, trafficking and importing cocaine in the wake of the major Coliseum operation carried out by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in November 2006.
He was shot while in his car near his home in Laval last November, and it's a miracle he got away without a scratch.

According to our sources, Del Balso was the target of another attempted murder by shooting in Laval at the end of January, but there was a mistake about the person.
The attack on Rizzuto could be a response to these murder attempts, sources say.
In May 2017, while he was on parole, individuals broke into Del Balso's house, presumably to kill him. But the mafioso was absent and the suspects manhandled his family members before fleeing.
Last September, Laval police arrested him in connection with allegations of extortion against a priest, but he was never charged in this case.
According to police sources, Del Balso is today more associated with bikers than with the mafia. He would be close to the Hells Angels Martin Robert and Stéphane Plouffe, considered by the police to be among the most influential individuals in Montreal organized crime.

According to our information, members of the Montreal mafia have found that Del Balso's group has been too broad in recent months in certain criminal activities, which could explain the attempted murders of which the latter has been the victim more recently.

https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/...se-montrealais-dans-la-ligne-de-mire.php

Look like Del Baso was really really tight with the Hells Angels. Guess now the HA could be suspects in the hit against Leonardo after all…..

According to reports, investigators from the National Organized Crime Repression Squad (ENRCO) are raiding the residences of half a dozen individuals, including the Hells Angels of the Montreal section Martin Robert, Stéphane Plouffe and Michel Lamontagne.
The homes of other individuals, including the former lieutenant of the Rizzuto clan Francesco Del Balso, now considered by the police to be close to the bikers, are also searched.

70 police officers are taking part in the operation, including members of the Sûreté du Québec's Tactical Intervention Group (GTI) and dog handlers. No arrests are expected.
This is the first wave of searches carried out during the investigation and intended to gather clues, because since the Supreme Court's Jordan decision, which limits judicial delays, the police and the prosecution want to be ready to release their evidence as soon as a suspect is arrested and charged.
The investigation, which began in 2021, “concerns drug trafficking and targets influential members of the Hells Angels,” a spokesperson for the SQ simply told La Presse.

Beat me to it Blackmobs. I dont believe Frank Del Balso is involved, but you never know. Balso did send one of his guys to Europe at the beginning of the year, as reports said there was a plot on his life. If Balso is involved, he would not have made a move on Rizzuto without some major backing, and the HA Montreal have business of their own to take care of instead of taking part with the Italians at the moment.

Since Del Baso was doing alot of buisness with the Hells Angels, can we assume that the HA were involved or they knew the hit was going to happen…..

I guess Del Baso would not have done this hit without talking to his new partners the Hells Angels….

Yeah, I think if Del Baso did the move that would be stupid from his part. Especially if he tried to escape in Italy (probably the worst place to hide, if you kill/or try to kill a mob boss without no backup from an italian organized crime group.

Every article says the searches of Francesco Del Balso and of the bikers are separate files. Francesco Del Balso is stupid enough to make this move on his own. Let's not forget a few months ago he was trying to extort a church for $5000 a week because years ago his ex wife donated clothing that had expensive jewelry in them. Everytime we hear his name it's because he did something stupid.

In the interview of Felix Seguin in the radio, he’s talking about those events.

The day of the hit against Leonardo Rizzuto, Del Baso was in Mexico with the Hells Angels Martin Robert.

Also, the police think that, Del Baso could have the ok from the Hells Angels.

Felix seguin also said in the interview at the radio. That the police told Del Baso that he has the biggest contract in history of the mafia on his head.

From reporter Paul Cherry’s Dec. 6, 2018 article:

According to a joint statement of facts presented to Quebec Court Judge Robert Marchi by prosecutor Simon Lacoste and defence lawyer Anthony Francischiello on Thursday, Del Balso told the prosecutor “that he was in the Italian Mafia. That he was a lieutenant in the Rizzuto clan,” and that he was upset over the publication of the photo of his family’s home.

Link: https://montrealgazette.com/news/lo...leads-guilty-to-threatening-tva-reporter

Frappes de la SQ contre des têtes dirigeantes des Hells Angels et de la mafia italienne
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvell...aires-tentative-meurtre-leonardo-rizzuto

Arrestation spectaculaire d'un Hells sur l'A-50 :
https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2023/03...laire-de-martin-robert-sur-lautoroute-50

Quebec police execute search warrants in Hells Angels investigation
https://montrealgazette.com/news/lo...search-warrants-in-probe-of-hells-angels

500k on Del Baso’s head

That's pretty quick by police so it has nothing to do with Desjardins-Mirarchi.

Hollander Francesco Del Balso is only suspected of being behind it he hasn't been charged with anything yet. We have no idea if Vittorio Mirarchi or Raynald Desjardins have any involvment.

Quebec provincial police executing search warrants targeting Hells Angels.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-police-search-warrants-hells-angels-1.6794679

Yes we have to wait if they charge him or the 81.

^^^^
Police across Quebec conduct anti-drug trafficking raids targeting Hells Angels and the Mafia
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/can...t-anti-drug-trafficking-raids-targeting/

Interesting development. There's probably a lot of confusion going on. This is good news for Desjardins

so A possible theory developing here is that LEONARDO RIZZUTO made the attempt on DEL BALSO in november 2022. the attempt on RIZZUTO a week ago was retaliation. do i have that right?

but DEL BALSO had no backing from HA for hit attempt. even though every french press article from the day DEL BALSO was released has linked him to ROBERT/PLOUFFE?

and the multiple arrests involving DEL BALSO at airport and HA's ROBERT,PLOUFFE AND LAMONTAGNE are 2 different unrelated busts. DEL BALSO'S looks like he is at least wanted for questioning and i can only imagine he still has parole restrictions for traveling outside canada. and italy to hide seems an odd choice. the HA bust stems from large scale drug trafficking which the police in quebec have been chipping away at for a couple years now with various busts connecting back to this group.

never a dull day in montreal.

https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2021/10/26/le-fils-dun-mafieux-notoire-associe-aux-hells-angels-1

this article has always been intriguing to me. it states that the ROBERT/PLOUFFE organization includes the son of RAYNALD DESJARDINS, if but in a minor role. it also hints at the possibility that some kind of truce was made w/ RIZZUTOS and DESJARDINS to allow for this. mathieu desjardins, the son who has a gun charge in his past appears to be minding his fathers affairs and in business/protected by ROBERT/PLOUFFE.

the article is 2 years old,an eternity in the context of OC IN MTL but very interesting none the less.

At first they were saying a bounty of 500k.
Now look like the bounty is more like 250k.

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2...ete-dun-mafieux-mise-a-prix-pour-250-000

Yes they believe Francesco Del Balso ordered Leonardo Rizzuto's shooting for retaliation because he believes Leonardo Rizzuto ordered Francesco Del Balso's shooting.

As it stands the bikers aren't involved.

There weren't multiple arrests. Francesco Del Balso was brought in last week for an interview when he was trying to flee the country and has been released since and gone into hiding. Martin Robert was the only Hells Angels arrested yesterday.

Three hells angels were arrested.
Martin Robert
Stéphane Plouffe
Michel Lamontagne


Also, in the interview of Felix Seguin, he said that the police are trying to see if Robert Martin was implicated in any kind of way on the hit of Rizzuto.

Because the day of the hit against Rizzuto, Robert Martin and Del Baso were on vacation in the South.
So they are looking at it

Where does it say all 3 Hells Angels were arrested?

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2...-rizzuto-et-trois-influents-hells-angels

Organized crime: the police strike a blow at an ex-lieutenant of the Rizzuto clan and three influential Hells Angels

According to information obtained by our Bureau of Investigation, the three bikers in ENRCO's crosshairs for offenses related to drug trafficking are not the last to come. On the contrary.

They are Martin Robert, who is unofficially identified as the number one of the biker gang, Stéphane Plouffe and Michel Lamontagne, all members in good standing of the Montreal chapter of the Hells Angels.

Yes they're being investigated for drug trafficking but the articles don't say any of them were arrested except for Martin robert. They actually say no arrests are expected unless the searches come up with something.

Robert is also released him and Del Balso while being watched held a meeting on Wednesday, following the searches carried out by the police in their respective residences. Martin Robert is one of the few Quebec Hells to hold the special status of “World” member.

Crime organisé : le plus influent Hells du Québec a rencontré Del Balso après les perquisitions
https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2...contre-del-balso-apres-les-perquisitions

Is Desjardins' son considered a low level player? That's almost hard to believe if he's chosen that life