If posters want some background, check out the thread started last year and found at

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=652159

The Toronto murder in June 2012 involves some individuals who were arrested in relation to a drug bust in the Niagara region of Ontario in February 2012, and then later in May and November of last year -- see

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=635100

I'll post some article links later tonight about the events of May and November 2012 so that you can see how these two stories are intertwined. The drug ring was investigated in Project INK 1 and Project INK 2.

The article found at

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2013/02/20/drug-arrest-leads-to-murder-charge-for-nero

helps explain the interconnections.

Excerpts:

Drug arrest leads to murder charge for Nero
By Karena Walter, The Standard
Wednesday, February 20, 2013 8:27:03 EST PM

A massive drug investigation by Niagara Regional Police has led to a first-degree murder charge in Toronto for alleged Niagara-on-the-Lake drug kingpin Nick Nero and two others accused of being part of his organized crime network.

Nero was charged Wednesday in Toronto while his suspected right-hand man Martino Caputo was being held in Germany for extradition. A third man, Rabhih Al Khalil, continues to be sought in relation to the large-scale drug network NRP first uncovered.

On Wednesday, police said all three men from the Niagara drug investigation Project Ink are being charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 35-year-old John Raposo at a Toronto patio last June.

“During the investigation into Project Ink One and Two, information was uncovered that we were able to share with Toronto Police Service that impacted on the Raposo homicide investigation,” said NRP Staff Sgt. Shawn Clarkson Wednesday.

Less than four months ago, Niagara investigators issued cross-Canada warrants for 39-year-old Caputo of Toronto and 25-year-old Al Khalil of the Ottawa and Montreal areas.

The pair were accused of being part of the largest drug ring in Niagara history, in which police allege Nero and his associates imported up to 400 kilograms of cocaine a week into Canada.

The business was estimated to be worth as much as $1.9 billion a year.

Caputo was picked up in Germany on Saturday and held for extradition. He’s being held on the Niagara warrant for drug-related offences.

Al Khalil continues to be sought across Canada and police released his photo Wednesday, asking the public not to approach him but call 911 if he is spotted.

Nero, a former competitive bodybuilder convicted in the 2003 heist of an armoured truck, was arrested in May of 2012 on multiple drug and conspiracy charges.

The charges related to what police called a record-breaking seizure in February 2012 of 110 kilos of pure cocaine worth $30 million.

[snip]

Charges from Project Ink 1, Project Ink 2 and Toronto’s homicide squad

Nicola “Nick" Nero, 36, of Niagara-on-the-lake

- possession for the purpose of trafficking

- conspiracy to possess for the purpose of trafficking

- conspiracy to import cocaine X 2

- conspiracy to traffic drugs X 2

- conspiracy to launder proceeds of crime

- obstruct justice

- participation in a criminal organization

- first-degree murder

Tawnya delBen Fletcher, 28, of Niagara-on-the-lake

- possession for the purpose of trafficking

- conspiracy to possess for the purpose of trafficking

- conspiracy to import cocaine

- conspiracy to traffic drugs

- conspiracy to launder proceeds of crime

- counselling to commit obstruction of justice

- participation in a criminal organization

Jordyn delBen Fletcher, 29, of St. Catharines

- possession for the purpose of trafficking

- conspiracy to possess for the purpose of trafficking

- conspiracy to launder proceeds of crime.

Frank Alessio, 33, of Niagara Falls

- possess for the purpose of trafficking

- conspiracy to possess for the purpose of trafficking

Angelo Alessio, 34, of Niagara Falls

- possess for the purpose of trafficking

- conspiracy to possess for the purpose of trafficking

Courtney Bryan, 32, of Toronto

- obstruct justice

Alfonso Inclima, 39, of Woodbridge

- conspiracy to traffic

- conspiracy to import

- participating in a criminal organization

Nebojsa Dronjak, 39, of Niagara Falls

- conspiracy to traffic

- conspiracy to import

- participating in a criminal organization

Mohamed Reza Amin Torbari, 49, of Vancouver

- conspiracy to traffic

- conspiracy to import

- participating in a criminal organization

Arrest warrants have been issued for:

Martino Caputo, 39, of Toronto

- conspiracy to traffic

- conspiracy to import

- participating in a criminal organization

- first-degree murder

Rabih Al Khalil, 25, of no fixed address

-wanted for first-degree murder

- conspiracy to traffic

- conspiracy to import

- participating in a criminal organization

- first-degree murder

Now that is a lot of money 1.5 billion annually!?

Alkhalil was the fourth and, presumably, final suspect in the murder of John Raposo last June. His arrest was kept under wraps, as he is reported to have been arrested on Saturday, February 23.

Link: http://www.globaltoronto.com/fourth+pers...9517/story.html

Excerpt:

Fourth person arrested in connection to Little Italy shooting
James Armstrong
Global News
Friday, March 01, 2013 4:28 PM

[snip]

On Feb. 23, the fourth man wanted in connection with the murder was arrested in Greece.

Twenty-five-year-old Rabih Alkhalil was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

He is currently being held in Greece while awaiting extradition....
__________________________

Link: http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2013/03/01/little_italy_murder_suspect_arrested_in_greece.html

Excerpt:

Little Italy murder suspect arrested in Greece
Fugitive Rabih Alkhalil, 25, has been arrested in Greece for the gangland style murder of John Raposo at the Sicilian Ice Cream Shop on College St. last June.
By: Peter Edwards, News reporter
Toronto Star
Published on Fri Mar 01 2013

[snip]

Alkhalil was arrested in Greece last Saturday and is being held pending extradition on first-degree murder charges, Toronto police said on Friday.

Alkhalil’s also wanted for drug- and organized-crime-related offences by Niagara Regional Police Service and the Surete Du Quebec.

Alkhalil is the fourth man arrested for the mob-style hit. Landlord Martino Caputo, 39, was arrested in Germany on Feb. 16 and is being held on first-degree murder charges, pending extradition.

Caputo’s also wanted by Niagara Regional Police on drug charges....

"Etobicoke murder victim survived 2012 Little Italy patio shooting"

http://vf.to/5k96hmCtXBK

Link to Toronto Police Service news release:

http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/33781

Great stuff as always antimafia.

Appreciated

It's amazing how few and far between mob hits in the U.S. are today compared to Canada. It seems in Canada that it's harder to catch someone and it's still a common way of doing business in that life.

There's less incentive to crack down on organized crime up here, I think. The people generally don't seem to care or even aware that there is a large (and fairly powerful) organized crime contingent here. So long as the police are pushing stories about busting up biker gangs and taking down grow ops, then they look good, and that's what matters to them, I guess.

You don't see a whole lot of headlines about OC in national news media here, they are mostly confined to local outlets and rarely get wide exposure. You'd be surprised how little coverage the Rizzutos get outside of Quebec, for example. On the other hand, the HA/Rock Machine war was big news that was covered extensively by everyone. It's very strange what gets reported on and what doesn't here.

Slumpy, HA is most definitely an incredibly powerful organised crime force in Canada. Nationwide the scope of Hells Angels most definitely exceeds that of the Rizzuto group in both revenue and power. To say that police are content with "busting biker gangs" while ignoring "oeganized crime" , in a thread that happens to be about a Hells Angels fronted 1.5 billion dollar drug ring is a little misguided.

I misspoke when I said "organized crime" I really meant "italian organized crime".

What I'm saying is because they (the HA, or bikers in general) have much higher visibility and because they try to control turf, they are perceived as much more immediate threat to the public at large (by the public). Most Canadians aren't even aware that the Rizzuto organization exists, and fewer could probably name the Siderno Group; but you can bet every single one has heard of the Hells Angels.

They are easier to bust, the public is far more aware of them, so the police tend to go for that low hanging fruit. Most bikers are committing street level crime. Yeah, they make bank, and yes, they are very powerful in some Canadian cities. I didn't mean to insinuate that they don't fall under the umbrella of "organized crime", they do, but let's be honest, they're basically street gangs on motorcycles.

If you'd like, I can provide you some resources that illustrate the scale of Hells Angels activities in Canada. You seem to be a tad bit mistaken regarding the scope of their nationwide operations.

+1 Azure.

The HA present a larger nationwide OC threat than either the Rizzuto group or the Siderno group.

I don't think you guys get what I'm driving at here. I'm saying the police target them more often because they are more visible, the public is more aware of them because they are so widespread. I'm not underestimating their power, I'm saying they tend to get caught more and are easier to catch.

The Hells Angels make good headlines, because they are more relevant to more canadians' daily lives. There is therefore more incentive to focus resources on curbing the biker world than there is the Italian organized crime world.

But not all HA chapters are equal, either. Not every full patch member is wealthy. A lot of those guys are in and out of jail constantly for petty, street level shit. I mean, if you're talking about guys like Walter Stadnick in his day, then yeah, fair enough, but not every HA is at that level.

Peter Edwads's story about recent murder victim Alfredo Patriarc.

"Man injured in 2012 College Street shooting killed in Etobicoke"

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/01/...-etobicoke.html

italian mafia is active in less places than ha in canada but it's more powerful i read it has links with politicians and a lot of businessmen, i doubt bikers have political links

The cops are nuts. No one is going to say shyte. If I was a witness why in the he ll would I make myself a potential court witness to the murder of an antisocial psychopath at the hands of other antisocial psychopaths? I suppose they rely on that. They live by the sword they die by the sword though. It's karma. At least these guys did it the 'right way' and didn't shoot up a crowded patio, machine gun a cafe or blow up a 12 year old riding his bike. They waited until he was alone, away from crowds, away from his family, etc.

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0-972g0Adw[/video]

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zn70aNjuA8[/video]

Toronto police won't say if Etobicoke murder was a mob hit
BY NEWS STAFFPOSTED FEB 3, 2016 3:53 PM EST LAST UPDATED FEB 3, 2016 AT 8:21 PM EST
COURTS
CRIME
LOCAL

He was sitting beside John Raposo when he was assassinated in Little Italy in 2012 but Toronto police aren’t saying if the recent murder of Freddie Patriarca was also a mob hit.

The 42-year-old victim’s home security system recorded Patriarca driving into his Etobicoke garage at 6:24 p.m. on Jan. 20. A short time later, the suspect in his murder runs into the garage. The suspect is then seen running away, heading toward the Kingsway and Princess Margaret Boulevard.

It took just eight seconds to kill Patriarca. Several people heard gunshots and ran to help the father of two but there was nothing they could do.

In June 2012, Patriarca was wounded when a gunman walked onto the patio of the Sicilian Cafe on College Street and fired at close range, killing 35-year-old John Raposo. The gunman was dressed as a construction worker and wearing a painter’s mask.

The suspect, Dean Wiwchar of Stouffville was arrested a few days later in a big takedown in the Parliament and Gerrard area. Two others suspected of plotting the Raposo hit are also in custody, Martino Caputo and Rabioh Al Khalil.

That number, 1.9 billion, looks like an estimate after the stuff is cut and moved on the street.

There is a similar number attached to the Gambino arrest, over a billion on the street, after cuts and distribution.



The Hells Angels, if I'm not mistaken, don't have contacts in South America, direct to the producers, or control importation or even transportation. They control distribution points in the streets. These organizations are easy to kill, I know, cause Chicago was saturated with em in the 90s.


No the real threat is always the suppliers, hence the mafia. The bikers are junior partners....

Cut their supply, and watch em war over territory again, bringing heat, bringing jail...

Apples and Oranges.

The Mafia has international (European and South American) connections but cannot compete with outlaw bikers in terms of muscle.

The HA for example have 31 chapters and 400 patch members in Canada (http://news.nationalpost.com/hells-angels-in-canada).
The mob in Canada cannot compete with that sort of manpower.
It's power lies in its connections.

So each has a different kind of strength.

"Murder victim Alfredo Patriarca was picked up on Rizzuto wiretaps: police source"

http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2016/0...ice-source.html

Just to play devil's advocate: if the HA were to disappear tomorrow, there are dozens of organizations waiting in the wings to fill the void as street level distributors and enforcers. If the Mafia's connections are lost, they might not be so easy to replace, possibly.

Absolutely. No argument here.

I was simply pointing out each organization represents a different type of power, rather than a competing one.

They're finally beginning to open their eyes but in a lot if ways Canada is a left wing country closer to Western Europe than the US. And liberals have traditionally been soft on crime of all kinds, including organized crime.

As far as Italian OC and the Hells Angels in Canada, the Hells Angels do operate more widely across the country. The Italians are mainly found in the eastern part of the country. And in those places where the Italians have a strong presence, they seem to be the more sophisticated and better connected group and higher on the criminal food chain. In those places where the HA are higher up its because there is little or no Italian presence to begin with. I'm not sure how much the manpower difference would come into play in the very unlikely event of a head to head conflict. It's not like nations where every HA member across Canada is going to be drafted to fight.

Wasn't JFK, a Democract, known for cracking down on the Mafia?

Believe it or not, this issue might not just come down to left vs. right.

It won't matter which party is in power, there will be no push to deal with italian OC until there is a public outcry to do so. Back in the early 90's, nobody gave a shit about the HA either until the HA/Rock Machine war started resulting in civilian casualties. In particular, I remember a little boy was killed by shrapnel from a car bomb, which ended in widespread protests that became the catalyst for LE intervention.

Point being, Canadians are a very subdued people, who very frequently have an overly sunny perspective of this nation because we are not exposed to the seedy underbelly by the media as much as we should be; I suspect the liberal use of publication bans may play a significant role as to why that might be. LE are (often) content to rest on their laurels until they are pushed to act. I also suspect Quebec's provincial government has a big problem with corruption. Quebec is just a whole other animal, the politics coming out of that province are totally unique. You have the typical right/left dichotomy, but it also splits along separatist politics.

It was more his brother, Robert, as attorney general. And I'm speaking in general.